Humour in Iran: Eleven-hundred Years of Satire and Humour in Persian Literature

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Satire, irony and humour have long been features of Persian literatures rich tradition, taking various forms from the coarse and obscene to the subtle and refined. Humour in Iran is a close and comprehensive study of satire and humour in verse as well as prose over the eleven-hundred years since the emergence of classical Persian literature. Combining Persian original texts with their English translations, it covers a range of texts and authors, from the lampoon in Ferdowsis great epic of the ancient kings in the tenth century, through such master satirists as Obeyd Zakani, Sadi, Rumi, Khayyam, Hafiz, Anvari, Sanai, Khaqani, Suzani, Qaani, Yaghma, and so on. The book also includes twentieth century authors such as Iraj, Dehkhoda, Bahar, Eshqi, Aref, Hedayat, Jamalzadeh, Al-e Ahmad and more. A must read for scholars and students of humour and satire as well as Persian literature and Middle Eastern studies, and it will also appeal to general readers interested in ribald humour and satire.

Reviews

Humor in Iran provides a remarkably rich medley of Persian prose and poetry, spanning eleven hundred years, in equally delectable translations into English, offering a rare view into how Iranian poets and writers have dealt with subjects as varied as human foibles, tyranny, politics, religion, forbidden desire, and social taboos. * Nasrin Rahimieh, Professor, University of California, USA *
Humour in Iran is the record of a quest, a journey through over a millennium of Persian literature, focusing on the lighter side of Persian culture. It is a compendium of all varieties of satire including hajv (lampoon) and hazl (ribaldry), with ample examples provided in Persian with English translations. * M. R. Ghanoonparvar, Professor, The University of Texas at Austin, USA *
Homa Katouzian, with his diverse scholarly interests and acumen, is the ideal candidate to expand upon the existing body of research on Persian Humour. This undertaking involves meticulous exploration of classical and contemporary texts that span over a millennium looking for wit and witty wisdom. Humour in Iran: Eleven-hundred Years of Satire and Humour in Persian Literature, with its rich tapestry of narratives, serves as an enlightening, captivating, and all-encompassing narrative that interests both general readers and experts in the field. * Kamran Talattof, Professor, The University of Arizona, USA *

Author Bio

Homa Katouzian is the Iran Heritage Foundation Research Fellow at St Antonys College, and Member of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford, UK. His recent books include Khalil Maleki, The Human Face of Iranian Socialism (2018); Sadi in Love: An Anthology of Sadis love lyrics in Persian and English (I.B.Tauris, 2016); Iran: Politics, History and Literature (2013); Iran: A Beginners Guide (2013).