HONEYMOON IN TEHRAN

　　In her new memoir, American-born journalist Moaveni(Lipstick Jihad) returns to Tehran in 2005 to cover MahmoudAhmadinejad's election for Time magazine, hoping to make thecity her permanent home. Her plans are complicated by the standoffwith the U.S. over Iran's nuclear program, as well as severalunexpected turns in her life. She falls in love, moves in with herboyfriend, becomes pregnant, gets married—in that order—in acountry that has no word for boyfriend and no qualms about brutallybeating unmarried pregnant women. Through her own experience,Moaveni reports on the growing apathy of the people of Iran, asociety burdened by staggering inflation and tensions betweenreligion, political oppression and secular life, the latter evermore enticing through ubiquitous, illegal satellite television.Gradually, the idealism and religious faith that characterizedMoaveni's younger years wane. With the birth of her son, hermisgivings come to a head, compounded by the spying, threats andintimidation she experienced at the hands of the Ministry ofIntelligence. Moaveni, who now lives in London with her family, haspenned a story of coming-of-age in two cultures with a keen eye anda measured tone. (Feb.)
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