{"product_id":"couchsurfing-in-iran-stephan-orth-9781771642804","title":"Couchsurfing in Iran: Revealing a Hidden World","description":"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eIncluded in the 2018 summer reading list by New York Times Books\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eA modern-day glimpse into the surprising reality of life in Iran.\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIran: A destination that is seldom seen by westerners yet often misunderstood. A country that simultaneously \"enchants and enrages\" those who visit it. A place where leading a double life has become the norm. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eCouchsurfing in Iran\u003c\/i\u003e, award-winning author Stephan Orth spends sixty-two days on the road in this mysterious Islamic republic to provide a revealing, behind-the-scenes look at life in one of the world's most closed societies. Through the unsurpassed hospitality of twenty-two hosts, he skips the guidebooks and tourist attractions and travels from Persian carpet to bed to cot, covering more than 8,400 kilometers to recount \"this world's hidden doings.\" Experiencing daily what he calls the \"two Irans\" that coexist side by side--the \"theocracy, where people mourn their martyrs\" in mausoleums, and the \"hide-and-seek-ocracy, where people hold secret parties and seek worldly thrills instead of spiritual bliss\"--he learns that Iranians have become experts in navigating around their country's strict laws. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThough couchsurfing is officially prohibited in Iran--the state fears spies would be able to travel undetected through the country--more than a hundred thousand Iranians are registered with online couchsurfing portals. And thanks to these hospitable, English-speaking strangers, Orth gets up close and personal with locals, peering behind closed doors and blank windows to uncover the inner workings of a country where public show and private reality are strikingly opposed. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Stephan Orth\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1771642807\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781771642804\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Greystone Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 05\/01\/2018\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 304\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.85lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.40h x 5.50w x 0.90d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 03\/15\/2018\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 04\/01\/2018 pg. 48","brand":"Stephan Orth","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":44047147172095,"sku":"9781771642804","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_60a4be3c-dac2-4c3f-8012-a93e4433eb24.jpg?v=1684988533","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/couchsurfing-in-iran-stephan-orth-9781771642804","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}