{"product_id":"ministry-of-guidance-invites-you-to-not-stay","title":"Ministry of Guidance Invites You to Not Stay","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhat happens when you move to Iran, heartland of the 'Axis of Evil', with your family in tow? - asks Hooman Majd, author of the acclaimed \u003ci\u003eThe Ayatollah Begs to Differ\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Ayatollah's Democracy\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"Welcome to Iran,\" he said. \"This isn't Switzerland.\"\u003c\/i\u003e We have an idea of the texture of life in Paris or Rome, but what is the texture of life like in Tehran? How do you get a driving license? Or secure an account with a discreet and reputable liquor dealer? And how on earth do you explain to an official that your son was indeed born just a month after your marriage? In \u003ci\u003eThe Ministry of Guidance Invites You to Not Stay, \u003c\/i\u003eHooman Majd introduces us to the daily delights and challenges of life in the so-called axis of evil. His funny, wry account of daily life is a mixture of extreme driving, intense sociability, yellow-tinged sheep's yoghurt and truly good Cuban cigars, interspersed with challenges from the religious police, stealthy internet use and polite yet concerning interrogations inside government ministries. At parties he both hears stories from friends of life in Evin prison after the Green Revolution and witnesses heady Western-style nihilism. From the smoggy streets of Tehran to the beautiful cities and mountains around it, this is a warm and revealing account of life in reverse-exile.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Fascinating' - \u003ci\u003eIndependent\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A sympathetic and nuanced picture of a complex society too often misinterpreted by the outside world' - \u003ci\u003eTelegraph\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHooman Majd was born in Tehran, Iran in 1957 and has lived in the US since 1979. He has written for numerous publications including \u003ci\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e, the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003eand the \u003ci\u003eFinancial Times. \u003c\/i\u003eHis previous books are the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003ebestseller \u003ci\u003eThe Ayatollah Begs to Differ\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Ayatollahs' Democracy\u003c\/i\u003e. He moved to Tehran with his American wife and baby son.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54252782125400,"sku":"9780241956106","price":18.5,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0278\/1295\/4195\/files\/9780241956106_1f85d9da-9d6c-490d-914b-07493edcfb40.jpg?v=1764835223","url":"https:\/\/agendabookshop.com\/products\/ministry-of-guidance-invites-you-to-not-stay","provider":"Agenda Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}