Marjan Kamali: The Lion Women of Tehran

Name: Marjan Kamali: The Lion Women of Tehran
Start: 2025-08-13T18:30:00-04:00
End: 2025-08-13T19:45:00-04:00
Location: Frederick Book Arts Center

Schedule

Wed Aug 13 2025 at 06:30 pm to 07:45 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

Frederick Book Arts Center | Frederick, MD

On Wednesday, August 13, from 6:30-7:45pm, we are delighted to welcome bestselling author Marjan Kamali as she promotes the paperback release of The Lion Women of Tehran. Telling the story of two girls coming of age in 1950s Tehran, this novel highlights the impact friendships can have on the course of a life. Marjan will be in-conversation with local author Hena Khan. Following the discussion, Marjan will answer questions and sign books. Copies of The Lion Women of Tehran will be available for purchase at the event.
Location: Frederick Book Arts Center – 127 S Carroll St, Frederick, MD 21701
This event is free and open to the public, hosted in partnership with the Frederick Book Arts Center. _For accessibility requests, email [email protected] at least two (2) weeks prior to the event.
About the book: An “evocative read and a powerful portrait of friendship, feminism, and political activism” (People) set against three transformative decades in Tehran, Iran—from nationally bestselling author Marjan Kamali.
In 1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams for a friend to alleviate her isolation.
Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions of becoming “lion women.”
But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Years later, however, her sudden reappearance in Ellie’s privileged world alters the course of both of their lives.
Together, the two young women come of age and pursue their own goals for meaningful futures. But as the political turmoil in Iran builds to a breaking point, one earth-shattering betrayal will have enormous consequences.
“Reminiscent of The Kite Runner and My Brilliant Friend, The Lion Women of Tehran is a mesmerizing tale” (BookPage) of love and courage, and a sweeping exploration of how profoundly we are shaped by those we meet when we are young.
About the author: Marjan Kamali, born in Turkey to Iranian parents, spent her childhood in Kenya, Germany, Turkey, Iran, and the United States. She holds degrees from UC Berkeley, Columbia University, and New York University. She is the 2022 recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Award. She is the nationally bestselling author of The Lion Women of Tehran, The Stationery Shop, and Together Tea. Marjan lives with her husband in the Boston area. They have two children.
About the moderator: Hena Khan is a Pakistani-American Muslim who was born and raised in Maryland. She is passionate about sharing and writing about her culture and religion. Her book Amina’s Voice was named Best Book of the Year by The Washington Post, NPR, and Kirkus Reviews. Its sequel, Amina’s Song won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature. When she isn’t writing, Hena is cooking and baking for her loved ones, planning her next adventure, and of course, reading! Visit Hena online at henakhan.com .