Our Friend Mona

The remarkable life of a young martyr

Azadeh Rohanian Perry, Mark Perry

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English

Circle of Spirit Publications
06 August 2019

True stories of heroism, endurance & survival; Philosophy; Religion & beliefs; Baha'i; Religious & theocratic ideologies

Our Friend Mona tells the true story of Mona Mahmudnizhad, a 16-year-old girl who sacrificed her life for unity and peace in the world. Mona grew up in Shiraz--a city famous for its poets and roses. Shiraz is also a city sacred to Baha'is, for it is where their Faith began. And it was in that holy city, after revolution swept through Iran in 1979, where the persecutions against the peaceful Baha'is grew most fierce. The violence reached a peak in June of 1983 with the hanging of ten women, lovely and innocent souls that the people named ""The Brides of the City."" The youngest of these was last to go, and Mona kissed the rope that would end her earthly life.

Azadeh Rohanian Perry was blessed to also grow up in Shiraz. She and her family were touched by the lives of many of the martyrs and heroic souls of that period. Among them, Azadeh got to know Mona and her saintly father, Yadu'llah. This book provides Azadeh's first-person perspective along with detailed accounts of Mona and her family shared by Mona's mother and sister--Mrs. Farkhundih and Taraneh Mahmudnizhad, both of whom survived that period of persecution. Reading Mona's story, and the stories of those other wonderful souls who suffered with her, brings us closer to a secret they uncovered: How can you turn fear into courage, anger into calm, and despair at the darkness and injustice in the world into a hopeful vision of humanity's bright future?

FROM THE PREFACE:

""My husband Mark and I decided to put this book together because there is no single volume available on Mona's life. There are several important books that share the stories of the persecution of the Bahá'ís of Iran, and some of them provided important source material for this work. We could see that Mona's life, although brief, would easily fill a book of its own. We especially felt moved to share the story in a manner understandable to youth and junior youth . . .

""[W]e must credit a third contributor. That is Mona's mother, Mrs. Farkhundih Mahmudnizhad, who told the stories of her famous daughter and saintly husband tirelessly for 28 years until her passing in 2011. Her writings about Mona and her father, both published and unpublished, have provided a large amount of the material in this book. This book is a continuation of her attempt to share with the world the stories of their unbelievable heroism and love.""

By: Azadeh Rohanian Perry, Mark Perry
Imprint: Circle of Spirit Publications
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 17mm
Weight: 440g
ISBN: 9780983470168
ISBN 10: 0983470162
Pages: 300
Publication Date: 06 August 2019
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Reviews for Our Friend Mona: The remarkable life of a young martyr

Publishers Weekly: ""This earnest remembrance from Perry tells the life story of Mona Mahmudnizhad, a 16-year-old girl hanged in Iran in 1983 for her Bahá'í faith. Perry grew up in Shiraz, Iran, and was a childhood friend of Mona's throughout the persecutions that swept the country and led to Mona's death alongside nine other teenage girls. Mona's father, a religious scholar and Bahá'í Faith leader with whom she shared a deep spiritual connection, was also executed. With copious quotes from Mona's high school essays on her burgeoning spirituality, Perry, writing with her playwright husband, seeks to educate readers about Bahá'í Faith, which was created by Iranian Bahá'u'lláh in 1863 and takes an all-encompassing view of faith traditions with a focus on service and prayer. Her perspective as a fervent adherent enlivens the lessons. Though Perry is a passionate storyteller, the narrative of Mona's life--her early education, the shock of the revolution, and her outspoken public support of Bahá'í Faith--sometimes relies on mystical anecdotes, such as Mona's visions that warn her ""capacity for empathy"" will one day lead to suffering. However, for those with limited knowledge of the Bahá'í Faith, this book will be of great service explaining the tenets of a religion practiced by five million people worldwide. Perry luridly illustrates the intolerance and cruelty of Iranian religious authorities after the Revolution of 1979 while also paying homage to a brave young woman killed for her faith.(BookLife)"" Feb 12, 2018 SOME READER REVIEWS: ""It was such an honor and privilege to read this special new book ... Words cannot describe how deeply my heart was touched."" -- L.G. ""I am an avid reader but 'Our Friend Mona' was unlike anything I have ever read before ... I obviously have never met Mona but I feel as if I know her."" -- S.M. ""I couldn't put it down! It reads like a work of fiction ... I found myself wanting to tell everyone about what I was reading."" -- E.S. ""One is brought to tears reading the story ... A beautiful story on the indomitable strength of the human spirit!"" -- S.K. ""Words cannot do justice to how sweet, moving, informative and inspiring it is ... Please if you can read it ... You will be glad you did"" -- M.G.