Upcoming sessions(2008)

  • 12th. Feb.: CafeLitt First Photo awards and Second Birthday. A Party till midnight
  • 19th Feb.: From Margine to center by Amir Khadir
  • 26 Feb.: Global Financial crisis 2008. The end of an era?! by Ali Paknejad
  • Sunday 8th. March: BOOKCLUB, Disgrace By J.M.Coetzee

29.12.07

Cafe Lit 51:"The history of Islamic school of thought"


Subject: "The history of Islamic school of thought"
Presented by : Ali Shirazi
Date: Thursday , 3 Jan 2008

He gave a very short presentation on the origin of this school and its main characteristics and influences on other schools of thought, following with only naming some icons of the Islamic school of thought including, Al Kindi, Farabi, Ibn Sina, Ibn Roshd, Ibn Bajjah, Suhrewardy, Ibn Arabi and Sadredine Shirazi (Molla Sadra).

25.12.07

Cafe Lit. 50: Gabriel Garcia Marquez



Subject: Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Date:
27 Dec. 2007 (Thursday)
Presented by: Mehdi Keshtkar
This session Marquez's biography and his works were reviewed.
The novel, "Memories of My Melancholy Whores" of Marquez were discussed.

15.12.07

Cafe Lit. 49: Yalda Night


Subject : Yalda Night
Presented by: Reza Assasi
Date: 20 Dec. 2007 (Thursday)


We celebrated Yalda together by introducing the myth of Yalda and its origin and reading Hafiz.

11.12.07

Cafe Lit. 48: Short Story


Subject: Short Story
Date: 13 Dec. 2007 (Thursday)
Presented by: Cafe Litteraire

Khatereh Khodayi read the poem "Apple" by Hamid Mosadegh.
Pasha Javadi read a short story called pink-cloud written by Alireza Mahmoudi Iranmehr.
Also Mehdi Keshtkar read the "story of my glasses" by Rasoul Parvizi.
The session finished by two poems of Ahmad shmalou whose birthday was 83 years ago the day before our session.


4.12.07

Cafe Lit. 47: Intellectual lacks in Iran constitutional revolution


Subject:Intellectual lacks in Iran constitutional revolution

Presented by: Dr. Ata Hoodashtian

Date: Thursday 6 Dec. 2007

28.11.07

Cafe Lit. 46: Persian myths and mythology


Subject: Persian myths and mythology
Presenter: Mehdi Keshtkar
Date: 29 Nov. 2007
This session we have continued with a brief introduction to Persian myths.

15.11.07

Cafe Lit. 45:First contacts of Iran with western culture




Subject:
First contacts of Iran with western culture (in 19th century)
Presented by: Dr. Ata Hoodashtian

Date: Thursday 22 Nov. 2007


12.11.07

Cafe Lit. 44: Turko-Persian Tradition


Subject: Turko-Persian Tradition
Date: 15 Nov. 2007
Presented by: Behzad Mostowfi


we will talk about some developments in the history of a distinctive culture that arose, flourished for several hundred years, and then seemed to fade in early modern times as European influences were imposed upon it. Torko-Persian Islamicate culture, as it will be called here, is an ecumenical mix of Arabic, Persian, and Turkic elements that melded in the ninth and tenth centuries in eastern Iran (Greater Khorasan). From there it was carried by conquering peoples to neighboring areas, so that it eventually became the predominant culture of ruling and elite classes of West, Central and South Asia. In this introduction the origins and history of this culture is introduces and its significant influence on on forming the North West Iran is discussed


6.11.07

Cafe Lit. 43: Philosophy of History


Subject: Philosophy of History
Date: 8 Nov. 2007
Presented by : Mehhdi Keshtkar, Mohammad Larijani, Pasha Javadi


We discussed about the Myths, History and what is history.

The definition of myth, the philosophy beyond the myths, the advantages of studying myths and mythology and an introduction on Iranian myths was presented. This was an introductory session for starting our weekly reviewing and introducing myths of different nations. We will start with Iranian myths in coming session and then will continue the job with Greek and Roman myths every week at the beginning of each session. So the myths and mythology will be a serial program of Cafe Literature which will be presented at the beginning of each session.

why we like to read History and reliability of narrations, histories and stories was the other part of this session. Different methodologies for studying and looking at history was presented. Finally the role of narrator and how different parameters can influence the reality and truth in history was introduced from a psychological point of view.

29.10.07

Cafe Lit. 42: Cyrus the great


Subject : Cyrus the great and Achaemenid Empire
Date: 1st Nov. 2007
Presented by : Majid Fekri

22.10.07

Cafe Lit. 41: Sigmund Freud & Freudian Psychoanalysis


Subject: Sigmund Freud & Freudian Psychoanalysis
Date: 20:00 25 Oct. 2007
Presented by: Pasha Javadi


Sigmund Freud, physiologist, medical doctor and father of psychoanalysis, is generally recognised as one of the most influential and authoritative thinkers of the twentieth century. He articulated and refined the concepts of the unconscious, of infantile sexuality, of repression, and proposed a tri-partite account of the mind's structure, all as part of a new conceptual frame of reference for the understanding of human psychological development and the mental conditions. Freud's innovative treatment of human actions, dreams, and indeed of cultural artefacts as invariably possessing implicit symbolic significance has proven to be extraordinarily fecund, and has had massive implications for a wide variety of fields, including anthropology, semiotics, and artistic creativity and appreciation in addition to psychology. However, Freud's most important and frequently re-iterated claim, that with psychoanalysis he had invented a new science of the mind, remains the subject of much critical debate and controversy.

12.10.07

Cafe Lit. 40: Vipassana & Buddhism



Subject: Vipassana & Buddhism
Date: 18 Oct. 2007
Present by: Mohammad Larijani

Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation which was rebuilt by Buddha. It was taught in India more than 2500 years ago as a universal remedy for universal ills, i.e., an Art of Living
This non-sectarian technique aims for the total eradication of mental impurities and the resultant highest happiness of full liberation. Healing, not merely the curing of diseases, but the essential healing of human suffering, is its purpose.

10.10.07

Cafe Lit. 39: Fereidoon Moshiri


Subject: Fereidoon Moshiri
Date: 11 Oct. 2007
Presented by: Babak Esmaeili



به روز نوجواني 'روي گونه'اولين موي سياه
قلم در دست'بزرگ در سر
عيان بر ديده كردي'عشق پنهانت بيان
كه مهر آمد به پايان '
به آبان كه رسيديم سومش آمد غمان
كه عشق آمد ولي جانت به خاك
Ali Rahnama

2.10.07

Cafe Lit. 38: Legal systems of the world


Subject: "Legal systems of the world" (Nezamhaye hoghooghie donya)
Presented by: Mohammad Larijani
Date: 4 Oct. 2007 at 20:30

27.9.07

Cafe Lit. 37: Feminism


Subject: Feminism
Presented by: Hesam Ghasemi
Date: 27 Sept. 2007

The Feminism movement's theory,history and branches in North America were discussed.

21.9.07

Cafe Lit. 36



Subject: Ethnomusicology
Presented by: Farrokh Vahabzadeh
Date: 20 Sep. 2007
Ethnomusicology goals,rules and bases in general were
discussed and the Central Asian Dutar were presented .

14.9.07

Cafe Lit. 35



Subject: Spectatcle; "Tazieh" and "namayesh aroosaki"(pupet show)
Presented by: Ali Rahnama
Date: 13 Sept. 2007

7.9.07

Cafe Lit. 34


Subject:Sohrab Sepehri
Presented by: Mehdi Keshtkar & Pasha Javadi
Date: 6 Sept. 2007

The notable persian modern poet and painter, Sohrab Sepehri's biography was the introduction of this session, then some of his famous poems like "Neshani", selected parts of "Sedaye paye aab" and also "Mosafer" was read.

Cafe Lit. 33


Subject: Spectacles after islam
Presented by: Ali Rahnama
Date: 30 Aug. 2007

The history of spectacle in Iran after Islam were discussed.

26.8.07

Cafe Lit. 32


Subject: Short Story

Presented by: Cafe Literature
Date: Thursday 23 August 2007

Very nice session!!!

We read to short stories:
1. "Kash esmam Aida bood" a short story by Maryam Yushi zadeh. This story was suggested by Mehdi. Then we had a nice discussion about the story and its form and content.

2. "Asheghiyat dar Pavaraghi" by Mahsa Moheb-Ali which was suggested by Alireza. The story has an unusual form which is interesting.

Cafe Lit. 31


Subject: The History of spectacle in Iran (Before Islam)
Date: Thursday 16 August 2007
Presented by: Ali Rahnama
The history of the spectacle (referenced to Bahram Beyzaei) in Iran were discussed.
The second part ( after Islam) postponed to next session.

Cafe Lit. 30


Subject: " criticism of thoughts : methods and sophistries ".
Presented by: Hesam Ghasemi
Date: 9 Aug. 2007
This is a synopsis of 21 lectures of Dr. Soroush.

Here is a useful link where you can download more information :
What is Science? What is philosophy?

Cafe Lit. 29


Gust3: Dr. Ata Hoodashtian
Subject : Modernity without west
Presented by: Dr. Hoodashtian
Date: 2 Aug. 2007

Dr. Hoodashtian, Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Paris, MA and DEA in Philosophy from the Sorbonne University, France.

Associate professor and director of the “Management Institute of Canada”, based in Montreal, Canada.

He has taught in France for a period of 10 years at Institutes, Grandes Ecoles and the University of Paris 8, and worked in Asia (Central Asia and China) for 3 years, as Assistant Professor and Director of the Research Center. He has collaborated with Yale University, European Universities, NGOs, and has been Chair of the Editorial Board of the “Central Asian Journal" for two years, published in collaboration with Yale University, and is a member of the CRISE, research center at the University of Paris 8 since 1997.

Cafe Lit. 28


Subject: Ahmad Shamlou
Presented by: Cafe Lit.
Date:26 Jul. 2007
Some of his great poems were read and discussed.

Cafe Lit. 27

We transfer this session to the speech of Dr. Ata Hoodashtian about "Modernity without West" in MEKIC (Maison d'Edition Ketabe Iran et Canada).

Cafe Lit. 26


Subject: Guest 2, Taraneh Javanbakht
Date:12 Jul. 2007
She has talked about his activity and have read some of her stories.

Cafe Lit. 25


Subject: Open Discussion; Duties of Literature
Presented by: Cafe literature.
Date: 2 Jul. 2007

Not much participants, but a nice discussion. What is Literature and what is the main duty of a writer? Why a writer write? etc. were the questions that we discussed about them.

Quality is more important than quantity!

Cafe Lit. 24


Subject: Fashion
Presented by: Hoda Motaghi
Date: 28 Jun. 2007
The history of Fashion were presented and the necessity and philosophies behind it were discussed.

Cafe Lit. 23


Subject: Pablo Neruda
Presented by: Mehdi Keshtkar
Date:21 Jun. 2007

Ricardo Eliecer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto, pennamed PABLO NERUDA was the noble winner for literature in 1971. In this session Neruda's biography was reviewed.
The Colombian novelist
novelist Gabriel García Márquez has called him "the greatest poet of the 20th century in any language"...

We read some of his poems. But the discussing point of our session was the weakness in translation from original language to destination language, specially when we face poems.

Cafe Lit. 22


Subject: Iran history of Cinema
Presented by: Khatereh Khodayi
Date:14 Jun. 2007

History of the cinema in Iran were studied according to the

book " Iranian cinema" by Hamid Reza Sadr

Cafe Lit. 21


Subject: Bet movies of the Cinema
Presented by: Forough Ensandoust
Date: 7 Jun 2007

Cafe Lit. 20


Subject: Logic
Presented by: Alireza Tajali
Date: 31 May 2007

The Logic, its basis and some of the famous theories were discussed.

Cafe Lit. 19


Subject: watching the Movie: "Blowup" by Michelangelo Antonioni
Presented by: Khatereh Khodayi
Date: 24 May 2007

The movie were watched and we discussed about it afterward

Cafe Lit. 18


Subject: Mohy-eddin Ibn Arabi
Presented by: Ali Shirazi
Date: 17 May 2007

Cafe Lit. 17


Subject: Sadegh Hedayat
Presented by: Pasha Javadi
Date: 10 May 2007
His biography were presented and some of his short stories (Tarikkhaneh, 3 ghatreh khoon, Caravan-e-Islam) were discussed.
His masterpiece "Boof-e-Koor" were analyzed too.

Cafe Lit. 16


Subject: Forough Farrokhzad
Presented by: Mehdi Keshtkar
Date: 3 May 2007

Forough's biography and poems and the role of Ebrahm Golestan in his life were discussed.

Cafe Lit. 15


Subject: Paulo Coelho
Presented by: Bahador Bakhtiari
Date: 26 Aprile 2007
His Biography were presented and we talked about his books


20.8.07

Cafe Lit. 14

Subject : Persian Modern Poetry
Presented by: Cafe Literature
Date: Thursday 19 April 2007
A very nice session!!!
We used to read poems by most famous after breif introduction on persian modern poetry. Some of poems are

Arghavan (Ebtehaj) read by Hesam

Seeb (Hamid Mosadegh) read by Mehdi

(Shamlou) read by Pasha

Some poems of Sohrab Sepehri was read and interperated by Khatereh Khodayi

Cafe Lit. 13


Subject: Open Discussion; Racism
Presented by: Cafe Lit.
Date: 12 April 2007

Cafe Lit. 12


Subject: Our first invited guest; Elahe Mashoof
Date:5 Apr. 2007

She is an active member of Quebec Solidaire party and "syndicat féministe" ,an alter-globalist, and fight for the social justice, peace and solidarity in the world.
Now, she is the Head of Iranian Women's Association in Montreal She talked about her feminism activity, Quebec Solidaire party
and Quebec political and social system

Cafe Lit. 11


Subject : Salvador Dali
Presented by: Hanieh Ziaei
Date: Thursday 29 March 2007
Dali's biography and some of his masterpieces and surrealism movement were presented and discussed.

15.8.07

Cafe Lit. 10

Subject : Gholamhossein Saedi
Presented by: Mehdi Keshtkar
Date: Thursday 22 March 2007


After a short review on Saedi's biography (tragedy), we continued with a chat about one of his short stories named Tars-O-Larz and finally we switched to the subject of "Death in youth in persian contemporary literature" which is the title of a speech given by Houshang Golshiri in 1356 (1977), in which he looks at Iranian contemporary novelists and points his finger to a bitter fact that, almost all of these novelists have died in youth ( Youth of their profession or their real life!!!)...

Here is a big question mark in the mind of Cafe Literature members that WHY?!!


A good review on Saedi's life and his works has been electronically published by Ghabil.com

Cafe Lit. 9

Subject : James Joyce
Presented by: Sepehr Ravati
Date: Thursday 15 March 2007

Araby
Clay

One by one they were all becoming shades. Better pass boldly into that other world, in the full glory of some passion, than fade and wither dismally with age.

-- Dubliners, "The Dead"

Cafe Lit. 8

Subject : Rudaki
Presented by: Dr. Ali Shirazi
Date: Thursday 8 March 2007


بوي جوي موليان آيد همي
ياد يار مهربان آيد همي
ريگ آمو و درشتي هاي وي
زير پايم پرنيان آيد همي

Cafe Lit. 7


Subject : Arthur miller
Presented by: Banafsheh Eshkevari
Date: Thursday 1 March 2007

Arthur Miller biography was review. One of his masterpieces whic was Pulitzer Prize winner, Death of salesman, was the subject of our session.

Cafe Lit. 6


Subject: Minimalism (in Art and Literature)
Presented by : Khatereh Khodayi, Pasha Javadi
Date: Thursday 22 February 2007
The history of the movement of minimalism in
Literature, visual art, music and cinema were discussed.

14.8.07

Cafe Lit. 5

Subject: Jorge Luis Borges
Presented by: Alireza Tadjali
Date: 15 February 2007

Mozahem
Zakhme Shamshir

10.8.07

Cafe Lit. 4


Subject: Mahmoud Dolat Abadi
Presented by: Forough Ensandoust
Date: 8 February 2007
This session Dolat Abadi's biography was reviewed. We talked about one of his short stories named: Ayeneh

Cafe Lit. 3


Subject: Bertolt Brecht
Presented by : Sepehr Ravaty
Date: Thursday , 1 February 2007

Cafe Lit. 2


Subject: Anton Chekhov (His Biography and some masterpieces)
Presented by: Alireza Tadjalli
Date: 25 January 2007

Cafe Lit. 1


Subject: Sharghe Banafshe (A short story)
Author : Shahriar Mandanipour
Presented by: Mehdi Keshtkar
Date: Thursday 18th January 2007

Cafe Literature started its movement by presenting contemporary Iranian novelist Shahriar Mandanipour and one of his works with a different method of writing, named: Sharghe Banafsheh (East of Violet).

This is the start of a cultural work which just has began with lovers of culture with objective of sharing our knowledge in friendly gatherings.
We started with a story of love to say that we are lovers....