Posted on 06/30/2005 6:38:17 PM PDT by Libloather
Bill Clinton's memoir joins 'Harry Potter' as a bestseller in Iranian bookshops
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Friday, July 01, 2005
TEHRAN: Iranians may shout "Death to America" and burn the Stars and Stripes in demonstrations, but the memoir of former U.S. President Bill Clinton is on its way to becoming a runaway bestseller in the country.
According to publisher Farhang Fattemi, who has just released the book, "many Iranians like the United States and want to hear history straight from the horse's mouth."
First published in the U.S. last summer, "My Life" has hit the shelves in Iran in a prestigious two-volume hardback costing a hefty 150,000 rials ($16.50). It is already said to be selling very well.
"We have had numerous orders and will soon be running out of the first edition," says Fattemi, who also published former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's memoir "Living History" as well as "George and Laura: Portrait of an American Marriage" about the current U.S. president.
Comparing "My Life" with "Harry Potter," also a bestseller in Iran, Fattemi says several other publishers had rushed to get their hands on the book and there were many "sloppy and abridged translations to be found as well."
"They were enticed by Hillary's book, which reached a fourth print in eight months," he says, explaining he had sold some 12,000 copies, which is a huge amount in Iran, where 3,000 a year is considered a major success.
Fattemi, however, had a hard time publishing a book by an American ex-president, whose administration imposed heavy sanctions on a country that has since been lumped into an "axis of evil" by U.S. President George W. Bush.
"Instead of the normal one month, it took the authorities nine months to screen the book," he explains, adding he had finally been asked to insert "Persian Gulf" instead of "the Gulf" and omit a sentence by Clinton that describes late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin as "a decent, respectable man."
After the book's release about a month ago, authorities halted its sale for a few days as "Clinton's picture on the cover would be arousing for women." The problem was later resolved.
Translator Bijan Ashtari said Clinton has not made any harsh references to Iran and recommended the book to "Iranian diplomats and anyone interested in true history."
"Despite the stereotypes Iranians have formed about American politicians, Mr. Clinton's frank and detailed narrative wipes all conspiracy theories out of your mind," he says.
Despite the tough vetting procedures, Fattemi acknowledged outgoing President Mohammad Khatami's role in relaxing regulations has greatly boosted the number of books published in the past eight years.
"I am sure this book could not make it through either before or after Khatami," he says, expressing hope that ultra-conservative President-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will go easy on publishing.
"The regime can set a good image by this and show the world there is freedom of expression in Iran," he says, adding there is no point banning books as they will eventually end up on the Internet, where they can be downloaded.
Relations between the U.S. and Iran were cut off in the aftermath of the Islamic revolution in 1979. Ahmadinejad has said Iran does "not need" to restore ties with Washington. - AFP
They deserve him "Allah Clinton Akbar"
"...many Iranians like the United States and want to hear history straight from the horse's mouth."
Mouth?
I'll bet The Bent One just LOVES the name Farhang.
If my book were available over there, I'd be the most popular author since Salman Rushdie.
If that's the case, they'll need to buy Monicas book.
Letterman had a good line on this. He said that both Clinton's book and the Harry Potter book could have had exactly the same title, "A Boy And His Rod."
If the Iranians really do want "Death to America", it follows they would be big fans of Slick Willy...
i'm surprised all the harry potter books werent burned for promoting witchcraft.
..."Harry Potter?" So Zarathustra is back in Iran, eh?
Harry Potter, Bill Clinton, and Hillary Clinto? Do they sell any non-fiction books in Iran?
"...and there were many 'sloppy and abridged translations to be found as well.'"
That's the easiest way to distinguish that you have a genuine First Edition of The Rapist's re-write of his time in office. ;)
LOL
They have millions of citizens, and a sale of 3000 books is considered good?
Would 20,000 books (an equivalent number?) sold make a book a best seller in the USA?
So only 3000 people (of the best educated elite) in Iran will read
the important books that are published every year in the world?
And the rest of Iranians are kept ignorant, and feed on rumors and preposterous conspiracy theories, because
that suits the mullahs?
Poor Iran! Poor Iranians!
Both books are fantasies. People like fantasies.
Muslims live out their pathetic lives in zombiesque obedience to the Koran. It is not suprising that they are fans of fiction.
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