Another Birth

The definitive biography of the iconic poet—heralded as the “Iranian Sylvia Plath”—who was revered and reviled for her trailblazing feminist verse. Farzaneh Milani’s landmark biography of Forugh Farrokhzad is a staple on the bookshelves of Farsi-reading fans and critics of the groundbreaking Iranian artist. Finally available in English, Another Birth illustrates how, like Ferdowsi, Attar, and Rumi before her, Forugh reshaped horizons and forever altered the course of Iranian literature. Born in 1934 and known by her first name alone, Forugh was branded both a pariah and a hero for her brazenly feminist politics and her commitment to living free. In her twenties, she emerged as a pioneer of Persian film and poetry, shocking audiences with frank explorations of female desire and subjugation. But her career was cut short at just thirty-two, when she died tragically in a car accident. In the wake of the Islamic Revolution, only censored editions of her work are legally published in Iran. Exquisitely translated by Mariam Rahmani, Another Birth is an essential account of an artist whose impact will endure for generations.