"Iran has been producing cultural icons for millennia. But none enjoy the level of popularity inside the country or in the diaspora that Googoosh does." The Washington Post In Googooshs memoir, the story of her life converges with the story of her countrya tale at once triumphant and tragic If Googoosh continues to speak to Iranians, its perhaps because her story stands for Iran: glory and growing pains in the 1960s and 70s, quiet resilience in the 80s and 90s, reemergence in the 2000s, and continued hope for a better future. She reminds us of our best days and our worst days and, most important, of a homeland worth caring about. The Atlantic Thoroughly engaging Googoosh's singing is revered for its storytelling aspects; this heartfelt and moving testimonial flows like an anthem. Booklist, starred review A remarkable story of her life and career. The Orange County Register, Fall Book Preview "Googoosh's story broke my heart but also gave me hope: hope for voices that defy silence, for women who risk their lives in order to preserve their dignity and their true identity, for a singer retrieving her voice from those who silenced it, and for Iranian women and men, defying the sound of the Islamic regimes bullets with singing in the streets...This memoir is about the triumph of the hopeful voice, the sinful voice. To those who tried to break Googoosh with their hate, she responded by focusing on love. She survived by remaining faithful to her first and last love, music. Music is a part of her, like blood running through her veins. So for Googoosh, resistance against the Islamic Republic is not a political act, it is existential. Because just being Googoosh is illegal and subversive." Azar Nafisi, author of Reading Lolita in Tehran "It is hard to overstate the immense role that Googooshs music has played in the lives of millions...This moving memoir shows the childhood bonds and traumas that shape an artist, the deeply personal relationship pitfalls a woman must navigate as her star rises, and the desolation and isolation that political oppression brings... An absolutely riveting read that reveals the history we did not know behind the superstar we each thought was ours alone and a testament to the resilience, talent, and legacy of a true lion woman." Marjan Kamali, bestselling author of The Lion Women of Tehran "Googooshs journey is not just the story of an artist, but of a people torn between nostalgia and repressiona country still struggling to find its voice. In this powerful memoir, the iconic singer reflects on a life lived in the spotlight and in the shadowsof love and loss, exile and endurance, and a spirit that refused to be erased. Raw, poetic, and unflinchingly honest, this is not just Googooshs storyit is the story of Iran itself. As a new generation of women and men rise to demand Woman, Life, Freedom, her voice echoes their courage and carries their message. She reminds us that a song can be louder than a swordand that hope, once sung, can never be silenced." Nazanin Boniadi, Actress, Human Rights Activist.
