This resonant book portrays the ugliness of fundamentalist Islamic mob justice in Khomeini-era Iran. Sahebjam, an Iranian journalist based in France who has written critically of the regime, returned to his homeland under cover in 1986. While visiting a small town he calls Kupayeh, he learned how an innocent 35-year-old woman had been stoned to death for supposed infidelity. His thorough reporting, based on a further visit to the village, reconstructs Soraya's life and killing with much dialogue and interior monologue. Soraya gave birth to nine children in 14 years and her husband Ghorban-Ali also turned to prostitutes. He became involved in shady business deals and began to associate with Sheik Hassan, a criminal who was appointed Ayatollah Khomeini's local representative. When Ghorban-Ali, having fallen in love with another woman, accused his wife of infidelity, villagers lied to aid him and Soraya was left with no support in the town. Her two eldest sons sat on the male tribunal that declared her guilty, and she was stoned by a mob that included her father. This book refuses to let such horror go unremembered.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

This profoundly disturbing but very important little book tells the true story, in graphic detail, of the events leading to the stoning to death of Soraya Manutchehri in a small village in southwestern Iran in August 1986. Soraya was innocent; she was condemned to death on fictitious charges of adultery so that her husband could marry another woman (he was too poor to support two wives.) The author, an Iranian journalist raised in France, first heard of Soraya's fate in fall 1986 while in Iran on assignment for a French publication. In Soraya's village, he met her aunt Zahra, who began to recount Soraya's terrible ordeal. He later returned and met the villagers primarily involved in determining Soraya's "justice," including her husband, her father, and the village mayor. Though it would be easy to condemn Islam after reading this book, educated Muslims would decry this stoning as much as Westerners (officially, such an action is prohibited in Islam). Highly recommended for all libraries.
- Ruth K. Baacke, Whatcom Cty . Lib. Sys., Bellingham, Wash.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Product Description

Tag this product

(What's this?)

Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Stoning of Soraya M.: A Story of Injustice in Iran by Freidoune Sahebjam Paperback
5.0 out of 5 stars (1)

CDN$ 11.51

The Stoning of Soraya M. DVD
5.0 out of 5 stars (2)

› Explore similar items

Customer Reviews

5 Reviews

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.0 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most helpful customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellant book that needs to be read by more Americans, Jan 21 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Stoning of Soraya M.: A True Story (Paperback)

Well written, factual and horrific account of how, in many countries today, religion has been twisted to suit the needs of certain people, namely men. Having lived in a few Muslim countries, I can factually state that this sort of event is not that uncommon. It is, however, uncommon, and most likely unknown in the Western world. The reason this book is so good is that hopefully it will bring more exposure to what is happening in these third world countries. Maybe by exposing it more and more, it will, eventually, be eradicated.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

4.0 out of 5 stars Unrestrained ignorance brings out the worst in human nature., Aug 23 1997

M. Garrigan "PC,FL Teacher" (Panama City, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Stoning of Soraya M.: A True Story (Paperback)

Reading The Stoning of Soraya is a nightmare trip into unrestrained depravity. Some passages are so horrible that this reader skipped over them. The society that produced this event has a dark side that most of us would not even want to think about. Thank God I live in the United States. The next time I read some fuzzy nonsense about accepting all cultural diversity, I am going to remember this book

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A tragic story not unheard of in other parts of the world, April 8 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Stoning of Soraya M. (Hardcover)

You will be shocked by this sotry if you have basically adhered to la-la land stories and main stream best seller novels. Otherwise if you have travelled and have read other similar tragic stories and crimes committed again woman in most parts of the world, this is just another barbaric tragedy. What I found amazing was the review of the American reader who wrote that next time he/she hears "fuzzy nonsense about accepting all cultural diversity" he/she will remember this book.... How typical of an American to judge and comment on a culture and cultural diversity by just reading one book about it. Aren't similar crimes happening on a daily basis all over the world? If I remember correctly from living in the States for 7 years, New York City used to be called the world's murder capitat. Are gang rapes and murders that unheard of in the States? This book is not about an acceptable ritual or custom in Iran; this book is about dark crimes committed against single individuals.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 5 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Want to see more reviews on this item?

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 17 reviews 4.2 out of 5 stars

Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Truth that needs airing
In response to a book that documents utter barbarity occuring in Iran, Ariana chooses to spit at the West. Read more

Published on Mar 7 2002

3.0 out of 5 stars Don't feel sorry for us.
I'm an iranian women who has a strong opnion about this book. First of all, it makes me sick, almost as much as when I read this book, to have to listen to americans and other... Read more

Published on May 17 2001 by Ariana