…Thirst, his third book to be translated into English, assumes a cultural awareness as well. Dowlatabadi remains a modern anomaly in that he does not cater to an American – or even a Western – audience. His novels are written in Persian and, with the exception of The Colonel (which remains censored in Iran), intended to be read by his fellow countrymen. The resulting aesthetic is very different from what most Western readers are accustomed to. Continue reading *’Thirst, thirst… I’m thirsty.’