VOICES FROM WITHINīefore it was time to discuss The Blind Owl, there was already a buzz in the room. Keep track of who you meet in your journey–you may see some twice. Broken into two sections, this tale of desire, death, and despise, will take you through the streets and homes of Shahr-e Rey. The story of an unnamed narrator, troubled and haunted by his own mind as well as the people in his life. Costello (1957), by Iraj Bashiri (1974, revised in 1984 and again in 2013), and by Naveed Noori (2011). The Blind Owl was translated into English by D. Some of his most famous titles are: Three Drops of Blood (Se qatre khūn) The Blind Owl (Boof-e koor) The Stray Dog (Sag-e velgard) Buried Alive (Zende be gūr) Hedayat is not a horror author in the traditional sense, though arguably some of his work can be considered horror by the chosen subject matter. His work is filled with realism, precise descriptions, and bleak themes. After producing several pieces–plays, short stories, novelettes, historical dramas, and sketches–he turned to focusing on Iran’s major issues at the time. His personal life was erratic as he went on to continue his studies in Europe (Hedayat was also a passionate vegetarian, writing a book on the subject and believing that if humanity wants to stop wars, they need to first stop the slaughter and consumption of animals).

Sadegh Hedayat was an Iranian author and translator, one of the first Iranian writers to take on modernism in his work. When I eventually returned to it in college, I was amazed at how much I’d missed, and reading it with my fellow HOWLers allowed me to relive that experience! BEHIND THE PEN I first read Boof-E Koor when I was probably too young, yet my mind was not free of the owl. A wildly unconventional piece of literature, with subtle plays on the Persian language, The Blind Owl is a must for lovers of literature. Hedayat leads us through the non-linear story of an unnamed narrator, plagued by death and murderous intentions. This brilliant book is the literary manifestation of a fever dream.

By ghazal ghaffari of the most important books from Iran, and Hedayat’s magnum opus.

The blind owl by sadegh hedayat