Host: Leyla Shams Guest: Marjan Kamali Introduction: Leyla Shams, host of Learn Persian with Chai and Conversation, introduces her guest Marjan Kamali, the award-winning author of the Stationary Shop.Topics Discussed: Marjan Kamali's The Stationary Shop Recommended by the founder of Ketab Club, Kimia, as the number one book by a middle eastern author. Leyla shares her experience reading the book with a dozen other women and the emotions it evoked. Setting and Historical Context Unlike the common discourse about the 1979 revolution, this novel is set during the 1953 coup in Iran. Discussion on how the 1953 coup altered the course of Iranian history. Insight into how the novel shows that the coup was a significant event leading to a loss of hope and irreversible change for Iran. Discussion with Marjan Kamali The inspiration behind the novel. Kamali's thoughts on current events in Iran and her predictions for the future. Recommendations: Leyla highly recommends her listeners to read The Stationary Shop. Encourages joining Ketab Club, a wonderful book club focused on Middle Eastern authors. Link will be provided in the shownotes.