Why this book?

The Middle East is a hot topic; it has been for decades and will continue so. Every month, books on the Middle East hit the New York Times bestseller list and Amazon’s Top 1000 books. Among these are  many books on Iran,mostly political. There are also popular family memoirs among the best sellers.This book dramatically combines the two genres in the story of an American family deeply enmeshed in the political and social life of Iran. This was a time and place  where Americans were admired and respected.  IraniansThey were excited to see the Roman family walking the streets of Teheran.

 

Lucretia: “People would stop us on the street and ask to pat the heads of our four blond-haired girls. Everyone was happy to see and talk to the Americans. This was Teheran, Iran, in the 1960’s   We were two twenty-seven year olds in search of  adventure and a bigger income to support our growing family. We got more than we bargained for.”

An American Family in Iran, 1968

On one of the rare weekends I was home, our daughter, C. received her First Holy Communion.  I think it was May. That is our walled compound in the background. She received Communion from Fr. Williams, a priest who had been in prison for many years, and then assigned to Iran. We went out to breakfast,a special treat, which the kids loved, to the Officers Club.

Heaven and Hell: Americans in Iran

1971 2,500 Year Monarchy Celebration

Zehbel: The Clever One is a family memoir. It is a true story based on my family’s experiences during our ten-year stay in Iran from 1967 to 1976. I have changed or omitted some names and dates to protect very dear friends. We lived every minute of our time in Iran, as people live on the edge of a live volcano, relishing the excitement, the closeness shared with others, surrounded by constant, unyielding tension.

We went about our ordinary everyday lives while a rising tide of terrorism and political intrigue, like boiling hot lava, swirled around us. Many times, I almost lost my life, and saw others lose theirs. In truth, we were utterly changed by the people and the times in which we lived.  There were so many people there who were genuinely good, kind, and generous. The friends we made there, and the experiences we shared, forged bonds that will last a lifetime.