Iran: Persia: Ancient and Modern Book

This book was recommended as part of my armchair travel reading, but it is so much more than that. He makes the Middle East... for lack of a better word, accessible. He introduces us to specific regions, specific people and families, and reminds us that while people may have different cultures and ways of doing things, we all really want some of the same things -- to love and be surrounded by those we love, to earn a living, to gain some enjoyment from life. I was able see many different points of view, which is so important with a slanted media that chooses what images to show us and what stories to tell us.

In my mind, the Middle East was a place that I heard about on the news but really knew nothing about. This book made the area come alive to me. The people he met in his travels were compassionate, hospitable, hard-working, and so many of the men he met just wanted to be able to earn enough to fulfill their dream of getting married but they were barely scraping by. Sure, he ran into a few people who took advantage of him -- or tried to -- but you can find that anywhere. What impressed me most of all was his ability to show with examples why there is so much unrest in the area, what with occupation and displaced populations. He doesn't oversimplify, and he doesn't claim to have all the answers. What does do is ask a lot of good questions and offer a lot of thoughtful and intelligent things to think about. We need more Benjas, and I am so much better for having read this book.