September 1, 2022
Considered one of the greatest Iranian writers of the 20th century, Hedayat originally wrote this masterwork as a manuscript with hand-drawn illustrations and mimeographed 50 copies for distribution. The novel was commercially published in Mumbai in 1936; 86 years later, it is the most widely published of his works. This new English translation includes an introduction by Tabatabai. Sublimely narrated by Ramiz Mosef, the novel follows an unnamed pen-case illustrator who recounts his unsettling opium-fueled illusions. Mosef masterfully modulates his voice level, pitch, and speed to induce the illustrator's feelings of euphoria, horror, and rage and ably channels his wide range of emotions while ensuring that the pain remains at the surface. Listeners might not be able to tell the real events from the ones the illustrator imagines, but they will comprehend the ever-present specter of death that envelops him in hopelessness and despair. VERDICT An affecting, challenging, and important listen; recommended for all literary classics collections.--Laura Trombley
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