Rating: 
Summary: Riveting! Thank you Mr. Molavi.
Review: Thank you Afshin Molavi for producing such a vivid and beautiful account of our beloved but beleaugered motherland. For many of us who have not been able to return to Iran for the past 23 years, you have filled in the blanks. For every Iranian who reads this review, either in the US or elsewhere: This book is a must-read account of the land of our roots. Afshin Molavi has done us a great service, and to have done so with such eloquence and objectivity he must be commended. Yek donya mamnoon Afshin agha.
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Summary: Molavi and Molavi
Review: There's a Persian poem by Molavi, the poet, written several centuries ago. It exposes you to how in Persian culture, "me" as a concept, is consered to be impolite.
Someone's knocking on a door - and being asked who they are. "It's me" - is the repetitive response. The door remains firmly shut. Until finally, the knocker changes his respone: "It's you" and finds himself stepping into the house.
I'm still looking for this poem as I only remember the sense of it. Today, I wanted to read up a little on Molavi, the poet, himself. I grabbed my "Persian Pilgrimages" knowing that I'm going to have an historic insight into my quest; one that would be interwoven with a contmeporary personal insight of Afshin Molavi's.
And then it hit me, my Molavi's going to take me to the other Molavi ...
What I enjoy most about this book is the fact that I know I shall be going back to it over and over in my life.
Rating:
Summary: A unique and compelling insight into Iran and its people
Review: This book is for anyone who enjoys learning about other lands and peoples, particularly anyone who is curious about the Middle East.Washington Post journalist Afshin Molavi lived in Iran for a year and managed to immerse himself in the culture and daily experience of the Iranian people in a rich and profound way. He seems to have accomplished this through a combination of knowing the language, enjoying a natural affinity with the culture and being exceptionally good at listening. (He remarks that he left the country with 50 notebooks worth of notes) The result is a well-written account that is colorful, engaging and thoughtful without being overly judgmental. Read this book and you will travel throughout Iran with Molavi -- from capital city Tehran, to democracy-minded Tabriz, to the war-ravaged Iraqi border, to Shiraz, the town of roses and poetry. As the trip unfolds, so does the reader's knowledge of the diverse people, history, arts, sociology and politics of the country. Persian Pilgrimages in an exceptional book.
Rating:
Summary: A historical and cultural journey
Review: This highly recommended collection of insights on Iran is written by Afshin Molavi, an Iranian-born journalist who provides both a historical and cultural journey across his homeland in Persian Pilgrimages. Iranians are frequent travelers: Molavi uses his own wanderlust to take a journey across Iranian history and countryside alike, offering a more intimate portrait of his country than most.
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Summary: An excellent look at Iran
Review: This is a well-written book that explains the complexities of Iran's contemporary history from the revolution to the present struggles of power. Molavi provides us thought-provoking glimpses into the fabric of Iranian life and politics. The book is well-written and erudite. It towers over similar books on Iran
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Summary: Every Iranian Should Read This Book
Review: This is one the best books I have ever read. Afshin Molavi takes you along through Iranian cities, villages, and historic sites while giving the reader honest and well researched historical information. His style of writing is superb, making the reader feel like a friend that is along for the ride. As an Iranian who has traveled to Iran twice in the past five years (and no visits to Iran during the preceding twenty years), I could vividly see and feel everything Mr. Molavi was describing. I think every Iranian (or American interested in the Middle East or exotic destinations) would enjoy this book. Thank you Mr. Molavi.
Rating: 
Summary: By and large, a beautifully written book
Review: Until recently, I have regarding Iran with a sense of loathing. As an American, I could not forget the outrageous seizure of my country's embassy and diplomats in 1979, nor could I forget the American blood on the hands of Iran's rulers which comes from their sponsorship of Hizbollah in Lebanon and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Israel. Yet developments in the last few years in Iran have made me hopeful that one day the United States and that country might be if not friends, at least not enemies. Reading the author's account of his time in Iran has reinforced my hope and given me a greater appreciation for Iran's long and often glorious history. Reading "Persian Pilgrimmages," I learned a great deal from the growing desire for liberalization among the Iranian people
to the nuances of Shi'ite Islam. The passages of the book dealing with how the Iranians view the Iran-Iraq war and the long shadow that Ayatollah Khomeini still casts in Iranian society. Yet it is not a perfect book. I thought the author dwelled a little too long on the importance of Iranian poetry. I also think that the book gave scant attention to the "dark side" of Iran, namely its sponsorship of terrorism. This being said, I strongly recommend it for Americans to read. I also find myself hoping that one day conditions in Iran will have changed enough for the better to allow me to visit there.
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