I can tell that "Reading Lolita in Tehran" is going to be one of those books that make you feel that life, and its inhabitants, are beautiful and prized, simply because those inside it are memorialized in such fashion. We shall see. So far, it's excellent. Here's a taste:

"For nearly two years, almost every Tursday morning, rain or shine, they came to my house, and almost every time, I could not get over the shock of seeing them shed their mandatory veils and robes and burst into color. When my students came into that room, they took off more than their scarves and robes. Gradually, each one gained an outline and a shape, becoming her own inimitable self...."