In the radio show “The labyrinth of Stories”
The life and works of Mohammad Ali Jamalzadeh to review
Iran Theater- Mohmmad Ali Jamalzadeh’s works will be review at this week, Radio Show's Labyrinth of Stories
Mohammad-Ali Jamālzādeh Esfahani (13 January 1892, Isfahan, Iran – 8 November 1997, Geneva, Switzerland) was one of the most prominent writers of Iran in the 20th century, best known for his unique style of humour. In view of his vast influence over Persian short story writing, he is often referred to as the father of this genre in Iran.
Jamalzadeh's major work Yeki Bud Yeki Nabud
(یکی بود یکی نبود - Once Upon a Time), published in 1921 in Berlin, did not reach Iran until a year later, and when it did, it was not received favourably. The public, especially the clergy, loathed Jamalzadeh's portrayal of their country to the degree that copies of the book were burned in public squares. A collection of six short stories, Yeki Bud Yeki Nabud deals with the social and political conditions in Iran around the start of the 20th century, a subject that up to then had been outside the purview of writers and poets in general. Moreover, interwoven with this is a considerable amount of militancy against Western interference in Iran and an open mockery of religious fanaticism. Jamalzadeh's simple and colloquial style, combined with a measured humour, enhanced the impact of his writings, making his stories such as Yeki Bud Yeki Nabud and Farsi Shekar Ast (Persian is Sugar) even more poignant than otherwise would be the case. This hostile public reaction affected Jamalzadeh to the degree that for the next twenty years he refrained from engaging in any literary activities.
In this program, Behnaz Bostandoust selects and reads the short story "Doosti Khaleh Kherseh " from the book Yeki Bud Yeki Nabud, and in the expert section, together with Kayhan Bahmani, they critique and review this work. The biography is narrated by Reza Omrani and the producer of this program is Jaleh Mohammad Ali.
"Labyrinth of Stories" will be broadcast on Fridays at 9:00 PM on Namayesh Radio.