Daren
British textile designer Sarah Hobson, at age 23 in the early 1970's decided to travel to Persia (Iran if you prefer) not only to explore the country but to study Persian designs and crafts.
Even in the 1970's travelling alone as a women was to present challenges. Whilst the Shah was still in power (pre the 1979 revolution) and there were some personal freedoms in Iran, Hobson decided to disguise herself as male for her travels. Ultimately this gave her significantly more freedoms to move about by herself and to communicate with people. From the few times that her sex was discovered it was apparent that the young men of Iran were not pleasant for her to be around.
So to the travel - as 'John' - with hair cut short, wearing a compression wrap over her breasts, hunching forward a little and by pretending to be only 19, Hobson managed, for the most part, to get away with being male. She had to accept she wasn't a very masculine male, and was thought of as a bit of a weakling, but it was only when authorities requested her passport that she was busted. There were inevitably people around her at these times, so generally she had to move on to a new town. The hassles she received were awkward and not pleasant to read about, let alone experience - men wanting to kiss her, offering her money to sleep with them (saying, but you must want to, all western women sleep with anyone, etc). It is either not clear, or I may have missed it, whether the author had previous abilities with Farsi (or Persian, as it is sometimes referred to) or picked it up as she travelled, but she had reasonable fluency - enough to communicate on a day to day basis, hold theological discussions, etc.
Hobson travelled much of the country - there is a small map in the book, as well as various black & white photos. There were a few places she stayed longer, built closer relationships and used these places as a base to travel further afield. In other places she stayed a few days and moved on. For a time she hired a moped, but it was near its end of life to before it broke down she returned it and took to the bus system again.
There is a certain amount of guilt the author shares in misleading these people, pretending to be male and obtaining entry to mosques and the like. This is especially hard with those who are incredibly hospitable, providing accommodation and sharing food etc, but the outcomes when she is identified as a woman prove this disguise can be justified.
Other reviewers have suggested the book is superficial, disjointed and the disguise not being noticed lacking credibility. I didn't really have these issues (perhaps a little of the last), and found the author did a good job of sharing her experiences without too much duplication. She didn't get bogged down in details the reader didn't need to know, but shared interesting aspects of the food, the way people dressed, the conversations, the places she visited, etc. Hobson introduced light history when it was needed for context, but didn't attempt to write the history of Persia! Ultimately I think it took a lot of nerve to travel the way she did, and I enjoyed her telling of this.
4 stars
British textile designer Sarah Hobson, at age 23 in the early 1970's decided to travel to Persia (Iran if you prefer) not only to explore the country but to study Persian designs and crafts.
Even in the 1970's travelling alone as a women was to present challenges. Whilst the Shah was still in power (pre the 1979 revolution) and there were some personal freedoms in Iran, Hobson decided to disguise herself as male for her travels. Ultimately this gave her significantly more freedoms to move about by herself and to communicate with people. From the few times that her sex was discovered it was apparent that the young men of Iran were not pleasant for her to be around.
So to the travel - as 'John' - with hair cut short, wearing a compression wrap over her breasts, hunching forward a little and by pretending to be only 19, Hobson managed, for the most part, to get away with being male. She had to accept she wasn't a very masculine male, and was thought of as a bit of a weakling, but it was only when authorities requested her passport that she was busted. There were inevitably people around her at these times, so generally she had to move on to a new town. The hassles she received were awkward and not pleasant to read about, let alone experience - men wanting to kiss her, offering her money to sleep with them (saying, but you must want to, all western women sleep with anyone, etc). It is either not clear, or I may have missed it, whether the author had previous abilities with Farsi (or Persian, as it is sometimes referred to) or picked it up as she travelled, but she had reasonable fluency - enough to communicate on a day to day basis, hold theological discussions, etc.
Hobson travelled much of the country - there is a small map in the book, as well as various black & white photos. There were a few places she stayed longer, built closer relationships and used these places as a base to travel further afield. In other places she stayed a few days and moved on. For a time she hired a moped, but it was near its end of life to before it broke down she returned it and took to the bus system again.
There is a certain amount of guilt the author shares in misleading these people, pretending to be male and obtaining entry to mosques and the like. This is especially hard with those who are incredibly hospitable, providing accommodation and sharing food etc, but the outcomes when she is identified as a woman prove this disguise can be justified.
Other reviewers have suggested the book is superficial, disjointed and the disguise not being noticed lacking credibility. I didn't really have these issues (perhaps a little of the last), and found the author did a good job of sharing her experiences without too much duplication. She didn't get bogged down in details the reader didn't need to know, but shared interesting aspects of the food, the way people dressed, the conversations, the places she visited, etc. Hobson introduced light history when it was needed for context, but didn't attempt to write the history of Persia! Ultimately I think it took a lot of nerve to travel the way she did, and I enjoyed her telling of this.
4 stars
