The Republic of Imagination

[fcookjones5]

Is anyone reading The Republic of Imagination by Azar Nafisi?

[rssllue]

I have never heard of it. Could you give a brief synopsis of it for me?

[fcookjones5]

I was watching WTTW World the other night and the author was talking about her book. It was a very interesting discussion that centered on the lack of appreciation for literature and the arts in the US. She is now a US citizen and the book recounts how people in Tehran made great personal sacrifices to obtain and read American Literature. The book talks about how people outside of the US are introduced to American culture very early in life through the books they read in the classroom from The a Wizard of Oz to Dick and Jane. She goes on to talk about how in the US the respect for the aarts is disappearing. Libraries and book stores are closing, art and music programs are disappearing from school systems and communities. While this is certainly not a secret that this is happening in the US, it's interesting to read it from the perspective of someone born and raised outside of the United States . You can read a sample of the book on Amazon.