Azar Nafisi is the author of Reading Lolita in Tehran, which spent 117 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list.

Her newest book, Read Dangerously, argues that reading literature, reading challenging, dangerous literature is foundational and fundamental to continued democracy.

Imagination, itself, she says, is a threat to autocracy and totalitarianism. Imagination is inherently, by definition, “free and wayward.”

“It should be clear by now that when I talk about books,” Nafisi writes, “I am not talking about literature of resistance but literature as resistance.”

Azar Nafisi joins us for the hour.

GUEST:
Azar Nafisi: The author of six books; her newest is Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times

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Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired April 7, 2022.

<a href="https://azarnafisi.com/">Azar Nafisi</a> is the author of <a href="http://www.randomhousebooks.com/books/119522/">Reading</a><a href="http://www.randomhousebooks.com/books/119522/"> Lolita </a><a href="http://www.randomhousebooks.com/books/119522/">in Tehran</a>, which spent 117 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list.
Her newest book, <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/read-dangerously-azar-nafisi">Read Dangerously</a>, argues that reading literature, reading challenging, dangerous literature is foundational and fundamental to continued democracy.
Imagination, itself, she says, is a threat to autocracy and totalitarianism. Imagination is inherently, by definition, “free and wayward.”
“It should be clear by now that when I talk about books,” Nafisi writes, “I am not talking about literature of resistance but literature as resistance.”
Azar Nafisi joins us for the hour.
GUEST:
<ul>
<li>Azar Nafisi: The author of six books; her newest is Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times</li>
</ul>
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Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired April 7, 2022.

The Colin McEnroe Show is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of ringtones Neanderthals would want to have and convene a panel called The Nose for an informal roundtable about the week in culture.

<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/the-colin-mcenroe-show/about">The Colin McEnroe Show</a> is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of ringtones Neanderthals would want to have and convene a panel called <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/tags/the-nose">The Nose</a> for an informal roundtable about the week in culture.

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