“Afsaneh Najmabadi’s creative mÉlange of history and memoir makes a compelling case for microhistory and even more specifically for personal history as a living document and an archive to be explored in uncovering Iranian social history. I greatly appreciate how Najmabadi has brought history to life.” - Firoozeh Kashani-Sabet, author of (Conceiving Citizens: Women and the Politics of Motherhood in Iran) “Few scholars elevate the personal to the theoretical with the economy and elegance of Afsaneh Najmabadi. She translates a claim that her father had a secret second family into a journey of research, producing exquisite reflections on urban/space transformations that facilitated familial change. Stories are not just stories, as Najmabadi interrogates them to extract and advance their enduring theoretical significance. She sweeps into history and history making.” - Suad Joseph, general editor of the (Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures) “This well-written book is both informative and entertaining. Recommended. General readers through faculty; professionals.” - G. M. Farr (Choice) "This unusual and eye-opening monograph is part family history, part traditional history, part ethnography, and part exploration of historical methodology, all successfully integrated into a streamlined volume. . . . This accessible and slim monograph is a rich resource for both undergraduates and scholars." - Sarah Leila Safarkhan Moazeni (Resources for Gender and Women's Studies)