Official Review: Iran Before . . . by Dennis Briskin

angelbeats1 · Post by **angelbeats1** » 17 May 2020, 01:04

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Iran Before . . ." by Dennis Briskin.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Iran Before..., created by Dennis Briskin, is a captivating book composed of black and white photographs depicting life in rural Iran preceding the Islamic Revolution. Some of the pictures take up an entire page and others have a few sentences next to them, providing explanations of the images or background information. Briskin took these photos when he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Iran during the late 1960s. The scenes he captured on film function as portals to the past and transport readers back to a time that, for many, no longer exists.

Briskin provides a map at the end of the book labeled with all the cities he took photographs in and includes information about Iran and his travels. He also adds the city name next to each scene, which makes this book organized and easy to follow.

Photographs of men praying at the old Shah Mosque, village women with headscarves performing laborious daily chores, and blindfolded camels pulling heavy stone mills are a few examples of the diverse scenes Briskin captured on film. His book is a primary source of cultural anthropology, as well as an example of modern-day photojournalism. Briskin includes various aspects of the 20th century Persian Islamic culture into his work and successfully tells a story through photography. Readers get a glimpse into the Iranian village life before modernization and the Islamic Revolution.

What I like most about this collection of photographs is how visually engaging they are. Briskin's talent in photography shines as he skillfully manipulates light, transforming even the worldliest scenes into ethereal works of art. One of my favorite photographs is of a man walking in a bazaar. The man appears as a dark silhouette, outlined only by a natural sunbeam shining down on him from the heavens. A halo of light surrounds his head, making him seem magnificently otherworldly. I stared at that very scene for countless minutes, easily imagining myself in the bazaar as a captivated onlooker. The amount of emotion that the photograph evoked within me was astounding. That’s another thing I love about Briskin's work; it makes me feel something.

I appreciate how the author provided brief sentences next to some of the photographs. However, I wanted to see even more explanations and background information about the scenes. The main focus of this book is the photographs, but the additional information acts as a delicious cherry on top. Those sentences thoroughly enhanced my reading experience. As someone who does not know much about the Persian Islamic culture, I do not mind having extra explanations about the scenes. I found it exciting to learn new information as I flipped through each page.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I happily give it 4 out of 4 stars. It is educational, engaging, and emotional. The photographs not only represent a period in time but a thriving culture as well. This book seems professionally edited, and I did not find any grammatical or spelling errors. My want for more explanatory sentences was more of a personal wish because I did not know much about the Persian Islamic culture going into this book. Other readers may not have that problem and appreciate the brevity of the explanations. In the end, it did not detract from my reading experience, which was why I chose to give this book full stars.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in seeing what life was like in the Iranian villages before the Islamic Revolution. It is certainly a nostalgic read for those who have a connection to Iran. After all, time waits for no one; it’s evermoving. The beauty of photographs is that they play by their own rules, forever capturing an unchanging moment on film.

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Iran Before . . .
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MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 19 May 2020, 01:31

Photography that makes you feel something is the work of a great artist. This collection sounds marvelous. Thank you for your review.

angelbeats1 · Post by **angelbeats1** » 19 May 2020, 01:44

Yes! I agree with you completely. This book was just amazing. It's not every day I come across photographs so moving. Thank you for your comment!

Halibean2428 · Post by **Halibean2428** » 19 May 2020, 05:33

I think so few people know that there was a different Iran before the revolution. I find it interesting how the story is told through few words letting pictures do the talking. As the saying goes, a picture can speak a thousand words. I personally agree that that could be a little frustrating as a reader not to have more information, but maybe that’s the beauty of it.

angelbeats1 · Post by **angelbeats1** » 19 May 2020, 19:43

You explain it beautifully. I couldn't agree more. The Islamic Revolution changed the lives of people living in Iran. Also, I personally know some Iranians who left the country because of that event. Thank you for your comment!

Sheila_Jay · Post by **Sheila_Jay** » 20 May 2020, 02:47

For history lovers like myself there is a lot to learn form this book and I am looking forward to reading it. Thanks for the honest review.

angelbeats1 · Post by **angelbeats1** » 20 May 2020, 04:19

I was surprised by how much I learned! I think history lovers will enjoy this book because they get a glimpse into the past. Thank you for your comment! Happy reading!

Edwin Amah · Post by **Edwin Amah** » 31 May 2020, 13:13

Good historical composition. Should be a good book for history lovers. I will love to read it too just because I love pictorial information. The author did a good job by explaining the old Iran with images.

angelbeats1 · Post by **angelbeats1** » 05 Jun 2020, 16:14

Yes! I loved the history behind the photographs! Briskin captured scenes of village life before the Islamic Revolution. I enjoy seeing what life was like back then. I am grateful the Briskin captured these moments on film and shared them for others to see as well. Thank you for commenting!