Kelidar: The Longest Persian Novel – A Kurdish Family Saga
Kelidar: The Longest Persian Novel – A Kurdish Family Saga by Mahmoud Dowlatabadi is a monumental narrative of endurance, defiance, and humanity. Spanning more than 2,500 pages, this novel unfolds the sweeping tale of a Kurdish family’s fate amid the political unrest and cultural tension of post-World War II Iran. With vivid storytelling and uncompromising realism, Dowlatabadi gives voice to a marginalized people through the lens of intimate family bonds and collective resistance.
Within the Persian Books category, Kelidar stands unmatched in both scope and literary achievement. Dowlatabadi’s characters are fully human, flawed, passionate, and brave. Set in the desolate plains and tense villages of northeastern Iran, the novel becomes a stage for love, loss, revenge, and resilience.
Kelidar: The Longest Persian Novel – A Kurdish Family Saga Details:
Author: Mahmoud Dowlatabadi
Title: Kelidar: The Longest Persian Novel
Language: Persian
Genre: Historical Fiction / Social Novel
Cover Type: Hardcover
Page Count: 2,563 pages
Format Size: Standard Octavo (Requaei)
Setting: Post-WWII rural Iran
Resistance Etched in Every Page
From the first line to the last, Kelidar is rooted in defiance. It traces the family’s descent into conflict not only with external forces, but with the moral dilemmas of their history. The novel does not provide simple answers—it reveals the complexities of power, identity, and survival.
Language That Sings and Strikes
Dowlatabadi’s writing is renowned for its linguistic richness. His Persian flows with rhythm, reflecting the cadence of oral traditions while bringing harsh realities to light. His descriptions are raw, and his insights into the human condition are profound.
A Lasting Gift of Literary Resistance
This hardbound edition is crafted for longevity, fitting the gravity of its content. A true collector’s volume, it belongs on the shelf of every serious reader of Persian literature. It is a book to return to, to study, and to remember.
