*Whew*

DONE! Slowly plugging away at 90 in 2010.

I finally finished this book, about 2 years after I started it! I normally get into a book with gusto and trail off towards the end without finishing it, but this one - this one I was determined to finish from beginning to end. I’m not really sure why either because I have about 3 other books on my shelf that I started at various points in the past little while. I’m horrible with books that don’t engage me from the first sentence. Unfortunately, this one was a difficult one to get through.

The title is Lolita in Tehran:A Memoir in Books and it was written by Azar Nafisi, a literature professor who taught at 3 Iranian universities before settling in the USA. It’s a complex book and she weaves a number of different elements together; the Islamic regime and political climate during her time in Iran, her experiences as a literature professor by infusing classical American authors into the story and following the lives of 7 female students she mentors through an at-home literature class she teaches. It’s a heavy book and I found it difficult to stay engaged in, not only because classical literature is not something I am passionate about but the discussions on the Islamic regime and the impacts it had on the women in the novel were disturbing at times.

But, I managed to finish it this afternoon. I wished I could say I felt more accomplished but all I feel is relief. Now I can go read something fluffy and fun! Any suggestions?