Writing War in Contemporary Iran: The Case of Esmil Fasihs Zemestn-e 62

Writing War in Contemporary Iran offers a complete account of Esmil Fasihs life, works, and position in contemporary Iranian literature. This book uses a text-based analysis of Fasihs wartime novel Zemestn-e 62 (The Winter of 83, 1985) as a case study, and illustrates how the book set a precedent for anti-war novels that appeared in the period following the IranIraq War. Unlike the many one-dimensional novels of the time which focused only on state ideology, Fasihs novel grapples with broader issues, such as the states war rhetoric and the socio-political realities of life in wartime, including the impact of the War of the Cities on the daily lives of Iranians, government policies and their enactment, and the contribution of the upper class to war efforts. In this vein, The Winter of 83 was the first Persian anti-war novel that was different in that it did not present a glorified or heroic vision of the war and its participants. Furthermore, the book deals with the analysis of Fasihs postwar novels, which emphasized the roles and sacrifices of Iranian women during the wara neglected theme in Persian war novelsmarking him as one of the most culturally important war writers in contemporary Iran.