A Cup of Sin

As a Muslim woman writing in Iran, Simin Behbahani's collections contain some of the seminal work of twentieth-century Persian literature. Written over almost a half-century, much of her work reflects the traumatic experiences that have shaped recent Iranian history: revolution and war. In a balance of artful inquiry and shocking realism, Behbahani's language and imagery probe the depths of political, cultural, and moral oppression. In the traditional verse of the ghazal, she improvises with meter to echo and provide new interpretations.