Clinton 'could arouse women'
2005-06-30 10:06
Tehran - Iranians may shout Death to America and burn the Stars and Stripes in demonstrations, but the memoirs of former United States President Bill Clinton is on the way to becoming a runaway bestseller in the country.
According to publisher Farhang Fattemi, who has just released the book, "many Iranians like the United States and want to hear history straight from the horse's mouth."
First published in the United States last summer, My Life has hit the shelves in Iran in a prestigious two-volume hardback costing a hefty 150 000 rials ($16.5). It is already said to be selling very well.
"We have had numerous orders and will soon be running out of the first edition," said Fattemi, who also published former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's memoir Living History as well as George and Laura : Portrait of an American Marriage about the current US president.
Comparing My Life with Harry Potter, also a bestseller in Iran, Fattemi said several other publishers had rushed to get their hands on the book and there were many "sloppy and abridged translations to be found as well."
"They were enticed by Hillary's book, which reached a fourth print in eight months," he said, explaining he had sold some 12 000 copies, which is a huge amount in Iran, where 3 000 a year is considered a major success.
Fattemi, however, had a hard time publishing a book by an American ex-president, whose administration imposed heavy sanctions on a country that has since been lumped into an "axis of evil" by US President George W Bush.
"Instead of the normal one month, it took the authorities nine months to screen the book," he said, adding he had finally been asked to insert "Persian Gulf" instead of "the Gulf" and omit a sentence by Clinton that describes late Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin as "a decent, respectable man".
After the book's release about a month ago, the cultural authorities halted its sale for a few days as "Clinton's picture on the cover would be arousing for women." The problem was later resolved.
Translator Bijan Ashtari said Clinton has not made any harsh references to Iran and recommended the book to "Iranian diplomats and anyone interested in true history".
Despite the tough vetting procedures, Fattemi acknowledged outgoing President Mohammad Khatami's role in relaxing regulations had greatly boosted the number of books published in the past eight years.
"I am sure this book could not make it through either before or after Khatami," he said, expressing hope that ultra-conservative president-elect Mahmood Ahmadinejad will go easy on publishing.
"The regime can set a good image by this and show the world there is freedom of expression in Iran," he said, adding there is no point banning books as they will eventually end up on the net, where they can be downloaded by would-be readers.