My Prison, My Home: One Woman's Story of Captivity in Iran Paperback – October 5, 2010

This is the incredible story of one woman's incarceration in prison in Iran for no reason whatsoever. Even though she had an Austrian mother and an American passport, Haleh Esfandiari was arrested, detained and ultimately imprisoned simply because she worked for an organization that promoted better understanding and relations between Iran and the United States. For months she lived in solitary confinement and was subjected to relentless interrogation by officials who were determined to establish proof of a plot to overthrow the Iranian government. This is a fascinating look at how the Iranian government and Intelligence service keeps their citizens in line through fear and intimidation, how the ultra-conservative clergy maintain power by suppressing freedom, and how the United States government has squandered countless opportunities to improve relations between the two countries. This is a must-read for anyone who wants a better understanding of Iranian culture and the policies that continue to prevent peace.

This is a difficult reading from my point of view because it pulls me in several ways at once. My compassion for those under political arrest, or held against their will for political reasons, and my anger that so many suffer silently and are not in the eye of media and cannot be helped.However I learned a lot from reading this story of strength and fortitude.

I have always enjoyed true stories, but so often they're not written well, especially when it's a memoir. That wasn't the case here. From the moment her car was ambushed to her arrest and eventual release, I felt like I was right there with her.I chose this book partly because the story appealed to me but mostly because of the setting, Iran. My late-grandfather worked for the airlines and was always being sent to different places around the world. My mother even graduated high school in Kenya! But, like this author, my late-grandmother worked for a newspaper in Tehran though as a proofreader. They and my 2 uncles and aunt were evacuated when Ayatollah Khomeini returned.

There's nothing particularly wrong with this book, but I sort of lost interest half way. It's about how unfair Iranian laws are, and they are and it's scary. But since I don't plan to travel there EVER, the suspense was quickly over. It didn't reveal anything I didn't already know. It's an awful political system, visit at your own risk.

A touching and well written biographical account of an American professor employed by a think tank arrested and held in an Iranian jail for her alleged crimes against Iran. The author does a great job in setting up the historical/political atmosphere in Iran at the time of her capture, and intermingling her own experiences as a prisoner to the larger fabric of life in Iran through her accounts of the lives and interests of her female guards. The author also does a great job likening her experience in the Iran's judicial system to that of the German Stasi and the Russian system of interrogation and detention. To that end, this book is instructive on the legal and judicial systems of oppressive dictatorships. Dr. Esfandiri's voice is clear, her writing is engaging, and this book is a must read for anyone interested in dictatorships, Iran, women's rights, show trials, and legal systems.

I found this book highly informative. I didn't know a lot about the history in Iran including relations with the US. It was a little confusing going back and forth between time periods. It was also an eye opener to see how unfair the justice system is in other parts of the world.

In this extremely well-written and inspiring book, Haleh Esfandiari succeeds in involving the reader emotionally in a compelling story. Methodically she recounts the intrictate details of the questioning sessions which followed her harrowing experience that began with a robbery on her way to the airport and continued all through her imprisonment at the notorious Evin Prison. Through her account, one is familiarized with the savage and irrational conduct of a theocracy which considers itself only answerable to god. This is not only an account of intimidation, threats and psychological pressure but also a story of a glorious and indomitable spirit that refuses to be broken despite the unbearable pressures. In fact, it is a vivid testimony to the courage and fortitude of the Iranian women who have been at the vanguard of the movement fighting to liberate Iran from this scourge.

The prose style was engaging and interesting, her story captivating and inspiring. The biggest beef that I have with this book are the 40 pages of Iranian history that the reader is subjected to smack dab in the middle of the story. It was boring and a very abrupt halt to the flow of the book. Other than that, an interesting read about staying true to your beliefs in the face of adversity.

THIS BOOK WAS SOMETHING, WHYamerican citizen GOING BACK THEY OWN COUNTRY?? OVER AND OVER AGAIN ??for me this book ;some pages not even read it, seller was perfect, thank you ; IRENE