Sunday, March 18, 2012

In the Lion's Shadow

Fariborz Mukhtari’s In the Lion’s Shadow is the heart-warming story of an Iranian diplomat, Abdol-Hossein Sardari, who saved the lives of hundreds of Iranian Jews during the Second World War in occupied France.

Sardari charmed German officials (yes, that was possible!) with lavish parties, prepared detailed notes arguing that Iranian Jews were of Aryan descent, and used his diplomatic guile to protect Iranian Jews from being meted out the inhuman treatment to which other Jews were subjected. Mukhtari’s story comes with several insights into Iranian history, and is tinged with the anguish he feels regarding Iran’s failure to live up to the glory of its past.  
A wonderfully moving book….

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