MohammadReza Bayrami is one of the most successful Iranian authors of memoirs, fiction and war novels for young adults and adults. He has written more or less 50 novels, story collections and novelettes for children, teenagers and adults. He has always been a mainstream Iranian figure and has won tens of national awards – including IRI Year Book- and two international awards, namely Most Valuable Bear and Blue Glass wearied snake from Switzerland. He has been a nominee for Swedish Astrid Lindgren Award for two rounds. The Children & Teenagers Authors’ Association in Iran has selected him as one of five top authors of the country. Some of his books have been translated into German, English and Arabic and published in some countries. Feelings, images and imagination in the works of Bayrami enjoy special tenderness and honest that can be visualized in the mind of the reader. His works involve beautiful fantasies that often consisting the union of art and great image. If this images and rich imagination are formed in the significant structure, then they take special beauty.
His works have received several prestigious literary awards to date.
Awards:
-‘The Mountain Called Me’ has bagged several literary awards such as ‘Golden Bear’ Award, ‘Blue Cobra’ Award and ‘Switzerland Book of the Year’ Award.
-‘Hello Stone’ has received an Honorary Diploma from the Best Book Design awards in Germany, an international award competition.
-His 7 books have been honored in Iranian literary festivals such as Ghani poor, Anjoman-e Ghalam, Kanoom.Ketab-e sal….. during recent years
FICTION
The Deceased of the Green Garden
Publisher: Soore-ye Mehr Publications
Subject: Fiction (Historical Novel)
Year of Publishing: 2014/
No. of Page: 398
Size: 21×14
ISBN: 978-964-506-939-9
◙Sample English text is available.
◙ Copyright was sold in Russia (Androshkin), Turkey (Zangin Pubs.), Azarbayjan ( Qanoon Pubs.)Egypt (Alsaghafe Pubs.)
◙ The book was chosen as one of the top ten titles in Moscow Book Fair 2014.
◙This book was banned 5 years by The Ministry of Islamic Culture & Guidance for similarities pointing to aftermath of 2009 elections.
About the Book:
Ballash tries to save the life of Miane bank manager who is an innocent person, but when he arrives, the man has been lynched and hanged from a traffic light pole in the middle of a crossroad and any action seems futile. Then he takes refuge to his friend’s place in Ardebil. Plain Clothes men are chasing the defeated and there is chaos everywhere. Some people are being cruelly executed in military barracks. The organizer of the cult is cut in half in Sarab and each half is hanging from a gate. Ballash reaches the outskirts of the destination city with difficulty. He gets killed there while a -2years-old child accompanies him. The beasts tear up his carcass. During all the coming years, Bolot – the child that Ballash has left behind- hears a voice that repeats: “ I’m burnt, God, I’m burnt” and gradually without chronological order, the destiny of 3 generations takes shape in political upheavals andthe way they become victimized.
This novel is the story of a man killed and dismembered in civil war whose ghost meets his son 15 years after the incident. The story takes shape through this confrontation. The father – Ballash- was an ordinary street vendor with poetic skills. When he takes his poems to Dozgon, the editor of Azerbaijan Newspaper, Dozgon gets impressed by Ballash’s voice and invites him to the newspaper and radio and thus, Ballash becomes a journalist. He witnesses defeat of democrat forces by government and chasing and slaughtering of the cult members afterwards. The dependent chiefs pass the Jolfa Bridge and run away into the USSR. Ballash reaches the border with difficulty but then he realizes the treachery of chiefs, so prefers death to leaving the country, especially since he witnessed the innocence of a person.
IN THE COUNTRY-HOUSE
Publisher: Soore-ye Mehr Publications
Subject: Fiction (Novel)
Year of Publication: 2017/9rd Edition
No of Pages: 136
Size: 21×14
ISBN: 9789645066071
◙ Sample English text is available.
◙ Copyright was sold Iran (Soore-ye Mehr), Amrica (Mazda Publications), and Turkey (Zangin Pubs.)
◙ The book was honored in Iranian literary festivals.
◙ The book won Bern Golden Bear Prize in Swiss.
About the Book:
Heavy winter passes. Jalal is waiting for holidays to go to village accompanied by his family. Pastoral life in village along with its dangers considers new experiment for Jalal. So he feels restless for the promised time. Finally, migrant tribes come and take Jalal with themselves. Different events occur. They discover intact scenes and confront with new animals. They find a footprint of an animal beside the pasture fountain coming to pasture at nights and destroy everything there while grazing. Finally, they find out that the footprint is of a horse. They lie in wait of the horse in different nights. Jalal who has not forgotten “Qashqa” is very concerned and doesn’t know this horse is his or not. They lay trap for horse and intend to catch him but he escapes. Due to darkness of night, Jalal is not able to recognize the horse correctly. Since Jalal doesn’t want to lose his hope, he is not so eager to be solved this problem. In this story, horse situation indicates the vague position of Jalal’s future.
The Mountain Called Me
Publisher: Soore-ye Mehr Publications
Subject: Fiction (Novel)
Year of Publication: 2017/9rd Edition
No of Pages: 117
Size: 21×14
ISBN: 9789644716515
◙ Sample English text is available.
◙ Copyright was sold Iran (Soore-ye Mehr), Amrica (Mazda Publications), and Turkey (Zangin Pubs.)
◙ The book was honored in Iranian literary festivals.
◙ The book won Bern Golden Bear Prize in Swiss.
About the Book:
This book is the story of a young boy named “Jalal”. In winter and in the mountainous and snow-covered village of Sabalan heights, Jalal’s father dies following a hard illness.
Since his family is in poor financial conditions, he takes the responsibility of them. He had to grown-up before his time and helps his family. But he knows that all his efforts are no use.
While snow-sweeping, he becomes sick and also cuts his hand when shattering the fodders.
Finally, when his family is in straitened circumstances and despite his uncle’s disagreement, Jalal goes after him to hunt the partridge. Following avalanche collapsed, the uncle who was looking for partridge at the edge of cliff was snowed under. Jalal tries to take him out of snows.
So his character and potential has been stabilized in this way. This book is the first volume of “Sabalan Stories Collection “which has received many domestic and foreign awards.
At the Edge of Cliff
Publisher: Soore-ye Mehr Publications
Subject: Fiction (Novel)
Year of Publication: 2017/9rd Edition
No of Pages: 96
Size: 21×14
ISBN: 9789645067791
◙ Sample English text is available.
◙ Copyright was sold Iran (Soore-ye Mehr), Amrica (Mazda Publications), and Turkey (Zangin Pubs.)
◙ The book was honored in Iranian literary festivals.
◙ The book won Bern Golden Bear Prize in Swiss.
About the Book:
Continuations of winter and heavy snow fall have brought about new problems for Jalal and his family and mountain village. Village retinues die; wolves wander around the village night and day to take carcasses. We can ambiguously understand through the looking of wolf that the shepherd of sheep is the person who goes around with staff and the wolf enjoying splendorous destiny is now wishing for hunting but he doesn’t have past power. He tries to near the herd several times but the shepherd and sheep-dog prevent him. The wolf who can’t abandon sheep herd, continues following and comes to the village to discover the stable of sheep. At night, the wolf climbs up the roof of stable but he can’t find any way to enter there. He walks around the hole of roof with insolvency for a long time. Finally, he jumps into the stable and eats the first sheep. He finds out that he doesn’t have any way out. He kills the other sheep to make a mound and reach the roof but he doesn’t succeed.
In the morning, owner of the herd comes. He sees the stream of blood seeps from under the stable. So he informs the others to catch the wolf in the net. Rather killing the wolf, owner of the herd wears a bell round the wolf’s neck and frees him in the mountain. Since then, this wolf becomes well-known. Review on this book by Shohreh Kaedi was recognized as the best critique of the year.
Hello Stone
Publisher: Asr-e Dastan
Year of Publishing: 2013
No. of Pages: 240
Size: 21×14
ISBN: 9786006970066
◙ Sample English text is available.
◙ The book has received an Honorary Diploma for the 2014 Best Book Design awards in Germany.
About the Book:
This book is a novella narrating the journey of a handful of young men to a village where they hold religious and ritualistic ceremonies every year, which attracts a massive crowd from all over the country to the village. Yet, on the way, certain problems welcome the journey-makers of this story so that, by keeping the vow of friendship and camaraderie, and by supporting one another and risking themselves to save each other, they come to take some wise lessons of life along their journey. ’Hello Ston’ is, in the first paragraph, self-introduced as such: “There were four of them. In a rainy evening weekend, they hit the road to go to a holy shrine to hold their ceremony for which everyone from the villages nearby would come to participate. They hit the road, but never arrived. Even though they say the world is rather small and people, by fate, in this atmosphere quite frequently come to meet each other, no pilgrim has seen them again.”
The author of this book, in accordance with Iranian culture, focuses on cultural relics that are obscure and buried around us, but they are hidden from our eyes. In this respect, it can introduce great value and worth to today youth and young adults. From first and second pages of the book you may fall into a fanciful, horror, mystery and attractive adventure. The tension and excitement knows no age. Although, this book is written for young people but certainly can include adult audience.As the story begins, the writer wants to conquer the mind of his reader. He involves the audience in a holiday and rainy day. The day people heads to the shrine, but they couldn’t be there. So why? This why is enough for the writer to engage their readers in imagine and excitement throughout the story.
Shadow of Locusts
Publisher: Soore-ye Mehr
Years of Publication: 2010/4th Edition
No. of Pages: 247
Size: 24×14
ISBN: 978-964-471-313-2
◙ Sample English text is available.
◙ Reprinted 4 times in Iran.
◙ Won many literary prize in Iran such as Ghanipoor in 2009
About the Book:
“The shadow of locusts” is a novel for young adults’ ages. This story is about the war, rural traditions and life from a different view. In fact, the story comes to be end when the Iran-Iraq war begins. The story begins as Saber attempts to introduce the space of the story and its characters. Almost from the beginning, the main problem of the family, operating the father eyes, is explained. Rural life and traditions prevailing in the village can be seen clearly. Simple and traditional life pervades well throughout the story by the writer. The story takes place in summer, when schools are closed and Saber helps family subsistence.
The family tries to make the sheep become fat as soon as possible to sell them for providing the money to pay for the father’s eyes surgery .This causes the father’s angry and he blames himself. The story was going well until locusts invade the farm and causes the shadow of death and destruction covers on the village. Simultaneousness of Iraq and locusts invasion causes huge destruction impacts on the village. Saber is trying to save him and his family and helps the people as well. in such unpleasant and bitterer situations. Finally, the war become to end and things will get better. In recognition of Saber’s sacrifice in the war, people of the village donate a few sheep to him and his family situation gets better.This novel can be considered as indigenous and the author by enjoying verbal fluent prose narrates the story, provides his rural way in writing in the type of story, atmosphere, character and human relationships with each other .
Wolves do not Fear the Snow
Publisher: Ghadyani Pubs.
Year of Publishing: 2011/2th Edition
No. of Pages: 279
Age Group: Adults
Size: 24×14
ISBN: 978-964-536-421-0
◙ Sample English text is available.
◙ Wolves Are Not Afraid of Snow won Iran’s “Book of the Year” award in 2007.
◙It also won the “Book of the Season” award and the top prize of the “Children and Young Adults’ Book Festival” in 2009.
About the Book:
Daresi Village is in Ardebil Township in the middle of a valley with a shallow population. Yusuf and Fattah were good friends. Yusuf had a dog called Qarebash. One day Fattah, Yusuf and Qarehbash went out of the village to see a waterfall when an earthquake struck. When they returned nothing was like before. They could only save Fattah’s sister and Yusuf grandmother from under the ruins. They were ill and had been injured. It was cold and snow was falling. The wolves, excited by the stench of dead, rotten human flesh got near the village and Yusuf and Fattah had to throw Qarehbash in front of the wolves to get rid of them. Finally a helicopter came for help but Sara was dead and Fattah could not believe it. The rescue team dragged out Yusuf’s father alive. They never forgot that cold winter day.
The novel narrates about the small village in a valley enclosed 5 families. The theme of the novel is about the nature and earthquake. The story occurs in the village, an earthquake occurs, followed by heavy snow falls. The main character of the story is 2 teenage friend of Fattah and Yusuf, and of course with them, Wolf also appeared as a character and a strong role there. The main feature of the book is explaining the details of the scene of the earthquake and its aftermath, so the reader gradually comes to the depth of the story and find himself in the atmosphere of the destroyed village and among rubble of mud.
The reader’s body shook with aftershocks occur and seeing the scrambling of two teens, who have no hope of saving ,he/she feels disaster in great; 2 teens in addition to bearing the scenes of heartbreaking tragedy should fight with the wolves that have been poured into the village .
The Seven Last Days
Publisher: Soore-ye Mehr
Years of Publishing: 2014/12th Edition
No. of Page: 148
Age Group: 14+
Size: 14×21
ISBN: 978-1780834030
◙ Sample English text is available.
◙ The book has won the award of the best memory of resistance literature during 20 years.
About the Book:
In the first day of this seven days, when the main character of the story wakes up, see a commotion that is miles ahead, at the forefront and smoke and dust caused by explosions spread everywhere. A few hours later, little by little all troops in the region started to withdraw with rush, so that weapons and equipment left behind and just run away. Escape from the tanks and then placed in the siege, and escape once more. They enter to the desert without water and walk one day in thirst and attempt to cross the desert to save from breathtaking events. The soldier, despite the fear of going ahead, but due to its strong sense of responsibility, refused to leave the area to get an order from his commander and remains there. Suddenly the sound of enemy tanks is high, and he sees them come closer, less than hindered meters. Then the story says in detail how an escape is established.
Although this book is memory but enjoys story structure, which some writers consider it as an effectual and readable book. Based on an opinion poll in a daily newspaper, this book is in first consideration of writers. The present book is the life story of the writer himself who was soldier at the time of imposed war and survives war accidentally. The story-memory book describes the fatigue of soldiers who have lost their way, serious state of the wounded, hot and sunny deserts, hopelessness and death of some comrades.
“The Seven Last days” is the true story of the final days of the war. The author shows us the difference between fiction and reality, and narrates a shocking of the war time.
The Suspension Bridge
Publisher: Ofoq Publications
Subject: Novel
Year of Publishing: 2009/5th Edition
No of Pages: 132
Age Groups: 14+
Size: 14×21
ISBN: 964 369 012 1
◙ Sample English text is available.
◙ The book has been awarded 4 literary prizes by institutions like Anjoman Qalam (Pen Society), Habib Qanipoor, Foundation For Preservation of Works and Book of the Season.
About the Book:
A soldier, who is a self-proclaimed exile, came into a faraway mountainous area to handle the defense of a very famous bridge. He arrives to find the bridge has been destroyed by bombings and a temporary bridge connects two sides of the river. Private Sodeyf’s family were killed in Tehran bombings when he was defending the city and this made him wander in a twilight zone between life and death by suicide since he felt guilty about it. Black rain pours down over the town and smears everything. Sodeyf is really isolated and his folks think Base2- has sent him for spying. Commander and a brigadier harass him.
Mehran- his sister’s fiancé – comes from the front by train and Sodeyf- who has always shied away from meeting him- goes to meet him but does not mention the incident. He stands on the makeshift bridge in an attempt to jump into river and commit suicide but lacks the nerve to do it. Extreme depression paralyzes Sodeyf but finally while misunderstandings existing between him and others soar, he acquires a stormy attitude but then he calms down until he meets a girl to behold his sister in her eyes. On the other hand, a Sahand rocket battery is planted in the region to defend the bridge. Restoration of the bridge – parallel to Sodeyf’s psyche – starts out. But the aircrafts come back and Sodeyf is the one who must launch the rocket. Sodeyf hits the planes and then, for the first time after the incident, finds the courage to start crying bitterly.
This novel written for adults is about the doubts of a soldier whose family has been killed in the war. The soldier is suspended between life and death. Neither he can live nor commit suicide. He was yielded to self-wished banishment. Events happing there appear to return the soldier to life. The style of narration in this story is a bit completed and everything is described in the shadow of ambiguity and hesitation.
Back List
‘A light on Top of a Gallows ‘,Soore-ye Mehr Publicaions,P.96,S.21×14,ISBN 978-964-471-699-x ,2013.
The narrator is a boy named, Mohammed, who lives with his family in a village. “Sheikh Ghodrat”, the father of Mohammad, is the Mullah of the village and teaches the Quran to children. The story begins with the day that the head of the new Gendarmerie station comes to the village. Some other military enter the village as well. They prevent people to make community in mosque and other places………
‘Safar Wolf, Journey Wolf’,Ghadyani Publications,novel,P.319.S.21×14.Ag.14+.ISBN 978-964-536-422-7 .2012.
Safar, whose job is selling sheep, plans to sell his sheep to pay his paralyzed girl’s treatment, but the wolf kills sheep. Safar instead of killing the wolf, hang a bell round the neck of the wolf to make it sound a warning to the villagers and it was the punishment of treason wolf. Jalal together with his father, Salim, live in the neighborhood of Safar…….
‘Eagles of Hill No.60′, (Novel),Soore-ye Mehr,P.245,S.21×14.Ag,14+. ISBN: 978-964-506-726-5, 2010/3th.
Hill No.60, was occupied by Iraqis last year, is placed slightly ahead of the front line. This hill is the nest of eagles that come on the barricades each night and fly in the sky of this area.
The language of the book is very smooth and simple and different stories interconnected are narrated in a novel way.
‘Autumn in Desert’ (Novel) ,Teka Publications,P.448.S.14×21,Ag.14+,ISBN 978-600-5100-51-8 ,2010.
Old farmer harvest the pounding and his young son helps him. The wind is severe and spread around the straw. The old man groans of foot pain and is worry about his son who is in the military service. Bustle of the city and the protests are more concerned him. Agricultural work is not possible without the help of his son. Speaking about the events in the village make him so worry. However, One day Ali came to the village and said he had fled from military…..
‘After Massacre ‘(Novel), Soore-ye Mehr Publications, P.40, S.21×14.Ag.15+,ISBN 978-600-175-228-5 ,2011/2th.
This book is the story of a wolf, hungry wolf that have no enough power to hunt and now more than hunger, fear hurt him, fear from how to spend his days. However, the familiar smell leads him to other adventures the story is narrated through the eyes of a wolf, but the author could well spark of human feeling and position seasoned story and maybe this aspect is particularly interesting for the audience.
‘Fifth Chapter’(Novel), Kanoon Publications,P.174,Ag.12+. ISBN: 9789643916664, 2014/2nd.
“Mortaza”, nicknamed Mortaza Gaay” is 17 years old and lives with his parent in the poor region of the city. He spends his time in fun with his friends and doing some rough works. One day, by chance he sees “Fereshte”, neighborhood teenage girl and pursues her. Later, Mortaza make Fereshte inform that she is pursued by someone. She escapes, but Mortaza is arrested by officers…….
‘Fire at Harvest’ (Novel) ,Neyestan Publications,P.263,S.21×14.Ag.14+. ISBN: 978-964-337-621-5, 2010.
Some soldiers have lost their way after a heavy operation and seek the way to save themselves, but they didn’t success. Thirsty make them down one by one and siege of the enemy threatens them. The story is told from the mind of a soldier who loved to write the old and glory memoirs of his predecessor, the glory that there is no sign on it…..
‘Smoke behind the Hill’( Novel) ,Ghadyani Publications,P.224,S.14×21,Ag.14+,ISBN 9789644171338,2012/6th.
The present book is about the beginning of sacred defense in south villages of the country. Fifteen-year-old boy, named ‘Aziz’, lives in a little village. The villagers are preparing to celebrate the New Year. Living in a rural atmosphere with purity and sincerity are going on, but an explosion changes everything…………. .
Translation & Publication Grant Program
Introduction
Aims at fostering the Iranian Publication Industry, and boosting the presence of Iranian books in global markets. The Cultural Deputy of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance provides the supporting grant for the translation and publication of Persian books by foreign translators and publishers based on the following criteria.
Objectives:
⌂ Introducing Persian literature and culture to other countries
⌂ Facilitating cultural diplomacy and international ties through literary and cultural relationships
⌂ Fostering the Iranian Publication Industry
⌂ Preparing the ground for private publishers and cultural institutes to cooperate with their foreign counterparts
Priorities
This grant could be allocated to the translation and publication of all Iranian books having ISBN numbers issued by the Ministry of Culture in any theme and subject; however, the priority is given to the following topics:
⌂ Contemporary Literature (Fiction / Non-Fiction)
⌂ Arts
⌂ Islamic /Iranian Studies
⌂ Books on topics for Children & Young Adults
Grant Receivers (Who Can Apply):
All natural and legal persons who own/buy the copyrights of the Persian books from their Iranian right holders can apply for this grant. These include:
⌂ Private Publishers
The Grant Is Provided For:
⌂ Translation costs (fully/partly)
⌂ Publication costs (fully/partly)
The Amount of the Grant
The financial value of this grant will be as follows:
⌂ As for the books for children and young adults (mostly illustrated): up to 1000 US dollars for each title
⌂ As for the books for adults: up to 3000 US dollars for each title
Evaluation Criteria
- The Quality of the translation into a foreign language; including accuracy, fluency, cohesion, coherence, etc.
- The publisher’s plan and potentiality for distributing the book in the target country
- The time span for fulfilling the task (maximum 2 years)
Allocation Procedure
- 25% of the total fund will be paid after signing a copyright contract with the Iranian publisher or author, and submitting other requirements to the secretariat.
- The remaining amount (75%) will be paid after finalizing the publishing procedure and submitting the printed copy of the book to the secretariat.
How to Submit Requests
⌂ Send the application in printed or electronic form (available at: www.bookgrant.ir )
⌂ Send the full CV (resume) of the translator or/and publisher, with the revealing documents attached.
⌂ Send the legal copyright contract with the Iranian publisher
⌂ Provide a copy of the Persian book which is going to be translated and published by the publisher
⌂ Provide a sample of the translation (10 pages)
Note: All of the documents mentioned above could be uploaded and submitted to the secretariat via the official website of the project.
Contact Information
Email address: info@bookgrant.ir
Website: www.bookgrant.ir
Tel-fax: 0098(0)2188318655
Postal Address: No. 7, Fajr Building, Fajr St., Ghaem Magham Ave., Tehran, Iran. Postal Code: 1589746511
Pol Literary & Translation Agency
Founded in 2005, POL is a full-service agent that translates Iranian books and represents Persian language publishers, authors and illustrators through the world.
POL try to make publicity of Iranian books through the introduction and presentation in major international cultural events such as book fairs to sell their rights as well as identifying and introducing useful books from other countries to translate and publish in Iran.
Pol main programs are:
1 – Children and Young adults
2 – Fiction (Novels and short stories)
3 – Non-Fiction
POL services and editorial developments are:
-Publicity of Iranian books through introduction and presentation of books in major international book fairs, catalogues and brochures, websites, literary and cultural seminars and through contacts and negotiation with literary agencies and publishers throughout the world.
-Handling Iranian authors and illustrators in foreign countries to sell their rights of books to publishers.
-Handling the publishers and authors from other countries in Iran to sell their rights to Iranian publishers.
-Holding and managing stands in different international book fairs for publishers.
– Making easy for authors and illustrators to participate in different international cultural events.
-Translation and editing books from Persian (Farsi) into other languages and vice versa.
-International distribution of Iranian books in other countries
-Co-publishing books with publishers in other countries.
Contact Person:
Pol Literary & Translation Agency, Unit.3, No.108, Inghlab Ave, 12Farvardin Str., Nazari Str., Tehran-Iran
Tel:+98 21 66480369, Fax: +98 21 66478559