I think this is one of those books that you finish and don't really understand how it affects you until several weeks later. I have had this on my shelf for years. Eventually one day I couldn't ignore it any longer and sat down to truly read and enjoy it. The author does a wonderful job of painting her life as a teacher and a woman, in the difficult context of life in Iran. At times it seemed that she couldn't decide which she wanted to focus on - her life and the lives of her students, or politics. The first half of the book focused on the former, and the second half the latter. For me the first half was more personally compelling, which the second half was more intellectually interesting. I do think that was how the author intended it though - the personal and political was not separable in the world she lived in.