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Kazemi’s 'Year of the Tree' Translated Into English

The author has shaped the story in the form of a family tree, introduced at the beginning of the book. The narrative starts in the midst of an ongoing series of events, but soon shapes a cohesive geometry of nodal tales
Cover of the book's English translation, designed by Pezhman Rahimizadeh
Cover of the book's English translation, designed by Pezhman Rahimizadeh

Iranian fiction writer Zoha Kazemi's fourth Persian novel 'Year of the Tree' has recently been translated into English by American translator Caroline Croskery.

Candle & Fog, a publishing house in Tehran and London, is preparing for the English presentation of Kazemi's work in England on September 13. The publishing firm has so far selected novels and stories hitherto available only in Persian, and brought them to the attention of English readers through translations, Mehr News Agency reported.

'Year of the Tree', considered by many as Kazemi's best work, was published in Persian two years ago by Tehran-based Negah Publications.

Her first novel was 'The Beginning of the Cold Season', a work that saw a high number of reviews and comments. Her latest and fifth novel "Has Anyone Died Here?" has been published by Morvarid Publications.

Her other two books are 'Sin-Shin,' a collection of short stories, and 'Pair Your Shoes Together'. All Kazemi's novels are on different themes, form and approach. Her themes are usually social and realistic, with a certain distinction in form.

  About the Book

Kazemi's fourth work is all about 'decay'. It is a second-person narrative told by a dead man named Peyman who speaks to his sister and brother Parisa and Pouya. They are the last descendants of a large celebrated, but cursed family line.

Kazemi who is considered a formalistic writer, has shaped the story in the form of a family tree, introduced at the beginning of the book. The narrative starts in the midst of an ongoing series of events, but soon shapes a cohesive geometry of nodal tales.

The narrator's sister Parisa, who is divorced, is preparing for a trip and is planning to get rid of Pouya who has Down syndrome. They are both addressed by Peyman who sometimes refers to olden times and spices up the story with little accounts from earlier generations. Some of these interconnected side-tales are so well-fabricated that the reader will always remember them.

Kazemi, 33, was born in Tehran. She worked eight years as supervising engineer at various factories before becoming a writer. She is now a part-time university teacher devoting a major part of her time to writing stories.

  Croskery's Notable Works

Kazemi's novel was recommended by Candle & Fog to Croskery for translation. Croskery has translated several notable works by Iranian writers and poets, including the bestseller Bamdad-e-Khomar 'Drunken Morning' by Iranian novelist Fattaneh Haj Seyed Javadi, 70.

She has translated the complete works of Iranian children's author and poet Erfan Nazar Ahari into English in a compilation entitled "We Are All Sunflowers" published in October 2013.

Her other translations are 'You're No Stranger Here', 'The Water Urn' and 'A Sweet Jam', three books by eminent writer Houshang Moradi Kermani, 71; 'In the Twinkling of an Eye' and 'Democracy or Demo-Crazy', both by author, novelist, journalist and screen writer Seyyed Mehdi Shojaee, 55; and 'A Vital Killing: A Collection of Short Stories from the Iran-Iraq War' by war writer and essayist Ahmad Dehqan, 49, who is best known for his book 'Journey to Heading 270 Degrees'.

Financialtribune.com