Overview

Queen Vashti etched her name into ancient Iranian history when she defied her husband the King's order to appear before his guests as a beautiful 'show' wife. Angered by her disrespect for his authority, the King banished her from his presence under the laws of the Medes and Persians. In the Hebrew account, a foreign captive is chosen as her replacement queen but little or nothing more is heard of Vashti, though her stance to refuse to be humiliated in this way has set her as model of women's true status ever since. It has been acknowledged that the Medes were ancestors of today's Kurds. At their greatest extent, the Medes' territories covered much of the regions of today's rag, Iran, Syria, and Turkey continuously inhabited and claimed by Kurds as their ethnic homeland, which they call Kurdistan. This work of historical fiction tells part of the Medes' story according to Queen Vashti. Well researched culturally and historically, informed by the author's own interest and love for the Kurdish and Iranian peoples, the story vividly captures the essence of life as it was for an voung heiress growing up in the midst of dynastic, political and military intrigue, until she becomes a major player herself, a leader and warrior in her own right. If Vashti was a Mede, she stands in the tradition of Kurdish women who still struggle to protect their gender and ancient lands.

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9781764405201

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Reviews

'Queen Vashti's Dreams' has transported me to the land of my birth - a land that has always inspired me to imagine ancient times and reflect on the heritage passed down from those who lived there thousands of years ago. For me, this book, beyond its literary, intellectual and imaginative merits, is about a profound connection to the land and its people, from whom we have much to learn. Notably, it takes a powerful approach to depoliticising history, linking it to contemporary times and showing how 'Jin, Jiyan, Azadi' - women, life, freedom - is a manifesto for fundamental change in the Middle East. This book is not only inspiring but a reclamation of women's power. Behrouz Boochani, award winning author of 'No Friend but the Mountains'

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Tab Content 6

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