A review session for Janvar-e Kandahar, a travelogue by Iranian writer Hadi Masoumi Zareh, was held in Mashhad on Thursday, with speakers discussing the book’s portrayal of Afghan society, culture and political developments.
The session took place at Aftab Book Café, with the participation of Afghan writer and poet Mohammad-Kazem Kazemi, publisher Saeed Damirchi and moderator Seyyed Hamid-Reza Ghaderi. A group of writers and book enthusiasts also attended.
According to IRAF, the discussion examined different aspects of the travelogue and the author’s account of Afghanistan, including his encounters with people from various social and political backgrounds.
Author recounts 2021 trip to Afghanistan
Masoumi Zareh said he had long been interested in Afghanistan and had wanted to visit the country.
He said he eventually travelled there in 2021, amid the Taliban’s return to power, and spoke with a range of Afghans, from political activists and figures to ordinary people.
The author said he had tried to write about what he had seen and experienced during the trip without distancing his account from reality.
He also said he had written nearly 200 additional pages of material about the journey, which readers can access by scanning a QR code on the back cover of the book.
Kazemi praises author’s understanding of Afghanistan
Kazemi said the book’s main strength was the author’s deep understanding of developments in Afghanistan.
He said Masoumi Zareh had drawn on his knowledge of Afghanistan’s history and political developments to portray the country’s circumstances and society, adding that this had enriched the travelogue.
Kazemi said the book contained many of the features expected of a travelogue and paid considerable attention to the cultural and social commonalities between Afghanistan and Iran.
He also highlighted the book’s opening with the word “Vatandar,” meaning “fellow countryman,” saying it could have a strong impact on Iranian readers by reminding them from the outset of the cultural and linguistic ties between the two countries.
Kazemi said such travelogues could help Iranian audiences gain a better understanding of Afghanistan and its people. He also praised the author’s efforts to introduce Afghan customs, dialects and everyday life.
Damirchi discusses strengths and weaknesses
Damirchi, publisher and owner of Hermes Publishing, took part in the session as a critic and reviewed the content of Janvar-e Kandahar.
Referring to his own numerous trips to Afghanistan and the travelogues he had read by Iranian writers who visited the country, he said the act of writing a travelogue was itself worthy of appreciation.
He also raised points about what he considered weaknesses in the work.
