Rooftops of Tehran
Encyclopedia
Rooftops of Tehran, a novel written by Mahbod Seraji
, was published by New American Library
, an imprint of the Penguin Group
, in May 2009.
. Rooftops of Tehran was the One Book Program selection at Villanova University
, and Broward College's wRites of Spring 2010 final pick,. The book was also voted as one of the top 25 bookclub favorites of 2009 , and one of San Francisco Chronicle
's top 50 notable books of Bay area .
Rooftops is being translated into 12 languages..
hunt list. Despite Pasha’s guilt the long, hot summer days transform the couple's tentative relationship into a rich emotional bond. But the bliss of their perfect, stolen summer is abruptly shattered in a single night when Pasha unwittingly guides the Shah’s secret police to Doctor's hiding place. The violent consequences awaken Pasha and his friends to the reality of life under the rule of a powerful despot, leading Zari to make a shocking choice from which Pasha may never recover.
Mahbod Seraji
Mahbod Seraji Ph.D., is an Iranian - American writer who currently resides in the San Francisco Bay area, where he works as a Management Consultant.-Early life and education:...
, was published by New American Library
New American Library
New American Library is an American publisher based in New York, founded in 1948; it produced affordable paperback reprints of classics and scholarly works, as well as popular, pulp, and "hard-boiled" fiction. Non-fiction, original, and hardcopy issues were also produced.Victor Weybright and Kurt...
, an imprint of the Penguin Group
Penguin Group
The Penguin Group is a trade book publisher, the largest in the world , having overtaken Random House in 2009. The Penguin Group is the name of the incorporated division of parent Pearson PLC that oversees these publishing operations...
, in May 2009.
Reception
Immediately upon its publication Rooftops won critical acclaim as an Indie Next Notable and was selected in the Outstanding Debut Category by the American Booksellers AssociationAmerican Booksellers Association
The American Booksellers Association is a non-profit industryassociation founded in 1900 that promotes independent bookstores in the United States and Canada. The ABA and its members support freedom of speech, literacy, and programs that encourage reading...
. Rooftops of Tehran was the One Book Program selection at Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, and Broward College's wRites of Spring 2010 final pick,. The book was also voted as one of the top 25 bookclub favorites of 2009 , and one of San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
's top 50 notable books of Bay area .
Rooftops is being translated into 12 languages..
Story
In a middle-class neighborhood of Iran’s sprawling capital city, 17-year-old Pasha Shahed spends the summer of 1973 on his rooftop with his best friend Ahmed, dreaming about future and wrestling with a crushing secret: his love for his beautiful neighbor, Zari, who has been betrothed since birth to Pasha's friend and mentor, Doctor, a university student and political activist on the SAVAKSAVAK
SAVAK was the secret police, domestic security and intelligence service established by Iran's Mohammad Reza Shah on the recommendation of the British Government and with the help of the United States' Central Intelligence Agency SAVAK (Persian: ساواک, short for سازمان اطلاعات و امنیت کشور...
hunt list. Despite Pasha’s guilt the long, hot summer days transform the couple's tentative relationship into a rich emotional bond. But the bliss of their perfect, stolen summer is abruptly shattered in a single night when Pasha unwittingly guides the Shah’s secret police to Doctor's hiding place. The violent consequences awaken Pasha and his friends to the reality of life under the rule of a powerful despot, leading Zari to make a shocking choice from which Pasha may never recover.