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A Walnut
Sapling on Masih's Grave and Other Stories by Iranian Women is a
collection of short stories written by Iranian women. The language of the short stories in
this compelling collection was translated from Persian into English, but the sentiments
need no translation. Romance. Infidelity. Relationships between sisters. Family crises.
Societal roles. Such are the topics of short stories, and these from Iranian women are no
different. With the male-dominated society of Iran as a backdrop, the stories cover a period
from 1945 to 1989 and are of universal appeal - yet with setting and tone that evokes something of
the relationship between these writers and the sexually segregated society to which they
belong.
This is not a literary canon nor is it intended to be. The editors set out simply to compile a readable and interesting group of stories, some by prominent writers and others by prominent writers with no literary pretensions, in a variety of styles and perspectives. The contributions by women to Persian fiction are growing rapidly. This anthology is but a small sample of a much larger existing and forthcoming body of work.