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Women Without Men

By Shahrnush Parsipur
Penguin Classics
Series: Penguin International Writers
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Brief Description
A powerful and essential tale of female freedom This internationally acclaimed masterpiece by one of Iran's most important and influential writers traces the interwoven destinies of five women - including a wealthy middle-aged housewife, a sex worker and a schoolteacher - as they arrive by different... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
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A powerful and essential tale of female freedom This internationally acclaimed masterpiece by one of Iran's most important and influential writers traces the interwoven destinies of five women - including a wealthy middle-aged housewife, a sex worker and a schoolteacher - as they arrive by different paths to live together in an abundant garden on the outskirts of Tehran. Drawing on recent Iranian history and transcendent elements of Islamic mysticism, Parsipur's unforgettable novel sees women escaping strict confines of family and society. It is still as pertinent and discerning today as it was when travelling secretly from hand to hand upon its first publication in 1989.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241792513

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 26 March 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Translated by Faridoun Farrokh

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 135.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 300g

Pages: 128

Collections

Best Sellers at Book Hero Best Selling Books Education & Reference Fiction General Fiction In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books Literary Fiction New Release Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics Penguin Classics: General Fiction Series: Penguin International Writers Shahrnush Parsipur The International Booker Prize 2026

About the Author

Shahrnush Parsipur (Author) Shahrnush Parsipur was born in Iran in 1946. She began her career as a writer of fiction and producer at Iranian National Television and Radio. She was imprisoned for nearly five years by the Islamist government without being formally charged. Shortly after her release, she published Women Without Men and was arrested and jailed again, this time for her frank and defiant portrayal of women's sexuality. While still banned in Iran, the novel became an underground best-seller there, and has been translated into many languages around the world. She is also the author of Touba and the Meaning of Night, among many other books, and now lives in exile in Northern California. Faridoun Farrokh (Translator) Faridoun Farrokh was born and educated in Iran, where he began a teaching career. He is a professor of English at Texas A&M International University. His research focuses on eighteenth-century English literature and contemporary Iranian fiction, as well as literary translation.

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