A Critical Discussion of Dariush Mehrjui's Novels

A critical review session of Dariush Mehrjui's novels, "In the Tavern of the Magi" and "That Damned Receipt," was held with the presence of Dariush Mehrjui, Dr. Nayereh Tavakoli, Shahram Eqbalzadeh, and Mojtaba Golestani, in collaboration with the Sociology of Art Group of the Iranian Sociological Association.

The novel "The Tavern of the Magi" narrates the story of an Iranian Muslim student who, despite all his religious concerns, travels to America for his studies and remains engaged with this subject during his stay in the country. Due to his family background and personal interest, he decides to learn philosophy to answer his doubts and achieve a rational defense of his beliefs. Continuing this novel, Mehrjui narrates the events of 9/11, the young man's growing interest in political issues, the story of the treatment of Muslims in American society after 9/11, and the student's presence in Guantanamo prison.

"That Damned Receipt," Mehrjui's latest work, is the story of the life of Behzad Javid, a fifty-something cinematographer, director, and producer. The book begins with the scene of Behzad's stroke. The cause of the stroke is that Behzad hears that the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting cannot pay him his money after four years. This novel is about the confusion and the inextricable tangle of human problems in urban life; one could even say it is a critique of bureaucracy and modern life. Although the city where the story takes place is Tehran, the events of the story could happen in any large city. Throughout this story, we encounter various people who are all immersed in their own problems; they all want to help each other, but none have the ability to solve even their own problems.

Dariush Mehrjui was born in 1939 in Tehran. He studied philosophy and cinema, and his literary and artistic career includes, in addition to producing and directing films, judging at film festivals, writing, and translation.

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Audio file of the session "A Critical Review of Dariush Mehrjui's Novels"

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"A Critical Review of Dariush Mehrjui's Novels" | October 2016

At the Sociology of Art Group of the Iranian Sociological Association

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