"The Garden of Cyrus" from Thomas Browne. English polymath and author of varied works (1605-1682).

We know the current political narrative: Iran is dangerous, full of terrorists and weapons of mass destruction. But Christopher Thornton here tells a different story: one of good food, liberal-minded people, beautiful architecture, and a country with a history spanning over seven thousand years that’s been influenced not only by the myriad cultures spanning Central Asia but also by Europe and the West. Descendants of Cyrus introduces readers to ordinary Iranians living lives far different from what is shown on Western television. Thornton takes us through the cities of Iran, where he encounters robust, barely hidden black markets filled with American movies and music; sees the women of Shiraz explore modern fashion and beauty products with no fear of reprisal from a weakened regime; and meets the students populating the university town of Hamadan, where a generation of activists is finding its voice. Thornton draws from the past and present alike on each stop of this fascinating travelogue, using history to inform his conversations with citizens from all walks of life. Unexpected variety comes to light, embodying surprising religious and ethnic diversity, intellectual curiosity, a thirst for Western culture, and the desire to live a modern, secular life. A firsthand look at one of the least understood and yet most politically significant countries on earth, Descendants of Cyrus taps into the hidden pulse of a culture and a generation that promises to reshape Iran in a way few Westerners can anticipate.

A lyrical "book of heroes" about the role of art, creation, and inspiration.

Thomas Browne's books are complex and multilayered; witty yet deeply humane. Both 'Letter to a Friend' and 'Hydriotaphia' deal with Death; but Browne's humour and eloquence transform his essays on this seemingly unpromising topic into entrancing works of art, while 'The Garden' reveals itself as an insightful meditation on Life and Mysticis