Written by Reza Julai, all the stories of “Autumn 32” are set in Iran after World War II until the Anglo-American coup in Iran in 1953.

The characters are those obscure people affected by these events. The book recounts untold stories from ordinary people who have been forgotten and ignored, and Julai deems that it is the duty of writers to unfold these untold stories.

The characters are dealing with politics and destiny, while they are struggling to determine their own destinies and to return to their normal lives. However, it seems that there is somebody pushing them onto the margins of society.     

Julai has begun his writing career with the short story collection “Story of the Dynasty of the Hunchback” in 1983. History is the common element connecting all his stories. “The Pink Sweetbriers”, “The Eternals” and “Green Rains” are among his credits.

“Flamingos of Bakhtegan” has been authored by Ali Salehi Bafqi, 45, who began writing stories when he was twenty.  

In one of his stories from the collection, Salehi Bafqi writes, “He turned off his cellphone and put it in his pocket.

“She took the tickets from the old man who had purchased all the seats in the compartment. She went up the stairs of wagon 3 and took the old man’s hand and both went to compartment 5. The old man sat down and Azar took the seat opposite to him.

“After the train slowly pulled out, the old man leaned forward moving his head close to Azar, and, covering his mouth with his hand, hesitatingly told her, ‘Seyyed and I both loved Hitler’.”

The book has been selected by a jury composed of Razieh Tojjar, Abdolhamid Najafi and Dariush Abedi.

Source:Tehran Times