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Harem

Dora Levy Mossanen
Chapters (49)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Acknowledgments
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
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  49. TOUCHSTONE READING GROUP GUIDE

Cover Page

Title Page

Praise for Harem

“A beautifully written epic novel that teems with sharply drawn characters and haunting scenes.”

—John Rechy, author of City of Night

“Sexier than a stable of Playboy bunnies, more adventuresome than a Greek romance, able to confound expectations on every single page, Dora Levy Mossanen’sfirst novel, Harem, is truly astonishing.”

—Robert Hellenga, author of The Sixteen Pleasures and Blues Lessons

“Compulsive reading right from the start. Gorgeous imagery and outrageous characters whose stories grab you and hold you enthralledtill you’ve turned the final page.”

—Robin Maxwell, author of The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn and Virgin

“Harem transports the reader to another time and place. As I turned the pages—I was not aware of it—it seemed as if I was on a journeythat I did not want to end. Not only are Mossanen’s characters magical story tellers, but this debut shows she is one herself.”

—M. J. Rose, author of Lip Service, In Fidelity, and Flesh Tones

“An important contribution to the growing canon of women’s mythology in contemporary literature. From the first sentence Iwas as captivated as I used to be as a child when my mother read me fairy tales from around the world. The quality of myththat the author achieves is stunning.”

—Christin Lore Weber, author of Altar Music

“Dora Levy Mossanen’s Harem lures us into a language as opulent as its world, filled with solitudes and lush tapestries of human frailty, love, and ambition.”

—James Ragan, poet and author of Lusions

“A rare and beautiful novel.”

—Maureen Connell, author of Mary Lacey

“Harem is a succulent feast with a rich cast of characters.”

—Ann Rowe Seaman, author of Swaggart

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Also by Dora Levy Mossanen

Courtesan

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Touchstone
Rockefeller Center
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2002 by Dora Levy Mossanen

TOUCHSTONE and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

For information regarding special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at 1-800-456-6798 or [email protected].

Designed by Kyoko Watanabe

Manufactured in the United States of America

5 7 9 10 8 6

The Library of Congress has cataloged the Scribner Paperback Fiction edition as follows:

Levy Mossanen, Dora.

Harem : a novel / Dora Levy Mossanen.

p. cm

1. Jews—Iran—Fiction. 2. Jewish women—Fiction. 3. Harems—Fiction. 4. Iran—Fiction. I. Title.

PS3612.E94 H37  2002

813′.6—dc21  2002026805

ISBN-13: 978-0-7432-3021-6

ISBN-10:   0-7432-3021-3

ISBN-13: 978-0-7432-3-0216

eISBN-13: 978-0-7432-3-3552

For Nader and for Carolyn and Negin My Partners on this Magical Journey

Acknowledgments

This magical journey would not have been possible without the faith, encouragement, and wisdom of many.