Title: My Iranian Revolution
Author: John Robert Tipton
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 9781491706893
Pages: 156
Genre: Political
Reviewed by: Liz Konkel
Pacific Book Review Star
Awarded to Books of Excellent Merit
“My Iranian Revolution” is told from author John Robert Tipton’s perspective, walking the reader through his experience in Tehran from the moment he knew he was going to right after he left. Tipton’s style is engaging and felt like he was personally telling me his story, which packed more of a punch when everything fell apart. It starts off very mundane and almost idealistic, even a bit comical. Tipton loses his reservation at the hotel after a week (which was supposed to be for a month), but then his boss invites him to stay at his place until he finds other arrangements. Situations are frustrating for him, but on a whole it’s normal everyday life. He goes to work, attends office parties and everything is described in a softer light. He even describes a general as being “soft-spoken.”
But this novel is anything but mundane. It tells the truth and caution behind perspective. What one person sees, another person will see differently. I enjoyed reading about the beauty he saw in Tehran, from the landscape to the people. Though, one of the scenes that stood out was when John was sight-seeing while everyone was picnicking. He holds his camera up towards a family, which was perceived the wrong way. The father of the family was angry and took the film out of John’s camera, because John didn’t ask for permission to take a photo. It’s a quick scene, but felt necessary as to show the cultural differences. Because he was in Tehran, he saw what people outside the country couldn’t imagine: the beauty and the warmth, as well as how American culture affected Tehran. He brings the reader to understand the changes during this era; from the locals embracing the culture of an American disco up slowly to the complete opposition against all Americans.
One of my favorite parts is a humorous and unique view of American pop culture phenomenon from his perspective in Tehran. John went to the movies to see a little film called “Star Wars: A New Hope” which was in Farsi when he saw it, so he couldn’t understand anything that was happening. The humor and comic relief this scene supplied was necessary to me, because it gave balance to the tragedy which would occur later.
“My Iranian Revolution” progresses from a warm welcome to a note threatening to kill him if he doesn’t leave within thirty days; to buildings burning down, and Americans being evacuated. He describes a scene where intruders get into his home with a gun and demand his money. Then, when they find it, they hold a gun to his head, but before he’s killed, it’s revealed to be a nightmare. It acts as an eerie foreshadowing to the fear he would later face fleeing in the night from a burning building into gunfire which proves to be a tragic turn of events.
This book is best suited for someone who enjoys politics or memoirs, however it is aimed at a wider audience. “My Iranian Revolution” is labeled a political thriller, but it’s much more than that. It’s about real people, real life, tragedy, perspective, and in the end, hope. I certainly can say this has had a profound effect on my understanding on the issues which are current in the news nowadays, as well as providing me a deeper understanding of the cultural differences of the Middle- East.
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