How much did you know about nuclear arms control and disarmament activism before reading this book?

How much did you know about nuclear arms control and disarmament activism before reading this book? Did anything surprise you? How does Amineh's view of Farzad's activism change over the course of the novel?

My knowledge nuclear arms treaties was only what we heard from our US administration and news outlets. I was surprised to learn that there were groups of people from many countries working to achieve nuclear disarmament.

Really nothing. It is a subject I have not read up on. I am halfway through the book and disappointed it has not really been delt with in more detail so far. A little more background information would have been nice. I am the kind of reader who likes this history and details, not just surface information, but I suppose that is a choice by the author so it will reach more readers.

I know, and still know, very little about the subject. The info in this book really didn’t add much to my understanding of the topic, other than many countries are involved.

I feel I am still unaware of the strategies and events surrounding nuclear disarmament. I believe it will always be a background threat so long as governments behave as if he who dies with the most toys wins. For sanity's sake, however, I choose to keep my head in the sand and pretend the threat does not exist. I am not an activist, so I cannot agree or disagree with the tactics utilized by such organizations.

Reading about the commitment of people in other countries trying to influence the nuclear arms race and educate people to the devastation that could result was reassuring. I just recently watched the movie Oppenheimer and learned of one man's angst about nuclear bombs and effects on our world. Actually both the movie and this book gave me a picture of what happens with individual conscience and political views of a country.

I didn't know much about nuclear arms control before reading this book and I don't know that I am much more informed since finishing the book. Most of the info in the book focused around a group of people who would get together periodically and have heated debates. We didn't really get much more information beyond that on the process. This may have been a good area to focus more information on in the book in my opinion.

I didn't know much and really still don't, other than my probably wishful thinking that it might happen one day. I would have appreciated a little more detail about how and toward what end these various groups were working (toward UN approval?), perhaps as a simplified explanation from Patrik to Amineh

I know quite a bit about the international efforts to both ban nuclear weapons, and, subsequently, to ban testing of weapons as the effects of radiation became known. I believe that in the US the first protests arose on college campuses and became more general, particularly when cases of leukemia appeared in children in the 80s.

Early on, in the 50s, many scientists made representations to the United Nations about the dangers of nuclear proliferation.

Now, of course, we have Chernobyl to worry about.

I know a little bit only because I have a friend who is a nuclear engineer. I looked forward to reading about people in other countries who are as passionate as people in our own country. I think the more we read about people from all over the world that share our concerns about nuclear weapons, the environment, food scarcity etc., the better.
We are in this together.

I knew absolutely nothing. This encourages one to learn more about the subject.

I really didn't know much about it.

I didn't know much about it at all. I mean, I know that the US and its allies are trying to keep Iran from developing nuclear arms, but I was really surprised to learn there were people within Iran who wanted to keep the country from developing them.

I think Amineh began to understand it more once Farzad allowed her to join him on the out-of-the-country conferences.

This book gave me more insight to the emotional struggle experienced by those closely associated with this time period, but most of it I was aware of. We need these kind of novels to break through the cultural and racial barriers we have put in place as a society, the majority of it politically driven.

Truthfully, I knew nothing. I chose this book because it was an entirely new topic for me and about a geographic area I know little about. I think that's the beautiful part about choosing books outside of your comfort zone. As I was reading, I was also googling in order to get more background on the topics wrote about. I enjoyed the book, but I would have appreciated a bit more history. It was interesting to see Amineh's point of view change as the book progressed and she was given a more involved look into Farzad's trips.

I knew a little and was familiar with some of the historical moments in the book, especially the ones related to the Cuban missile crisis. And I remember the Cold War issues as I grew up in that area. But as I got older I have not necessarily kept abreast of this issue until it hits crisis mode.

But, I really liked how this book put a personal face to this issue and the constant behind the scenes events that need to happen to keep the world safe.

Not as much as I should and I hope to rectify that. I did find it enlightening that there were many people in Iran who were working against developing nuclear arms and developed relationships with groups from other countries.

I didn't know much about it... I don't have a very political mind, but it was interesting to see things from Aminehs countries perspective as compared to the US perspective, which I knew a little about. Good to see both sides of the coin.

I knew a little, but did not follow all the complexities that are revealed here, such as the difficult process of developing consensus among peace activists around the right strategy or timing or the right treaty to push for. It makes me realize that I haven’t made my best effort to learn more about an issue that is certainly as important as climate change.

Amineh initially supported Farzad’s work “in theory,” but not whole-heartedly; she resented that it mattered so much to him, took up so much of his time. She blamed him for prioritizing it over their marriage, as she saw it (and she was suspicious and jealous of Mehar). Once she began to attend some sessions, to get to know the others in Farzad’s group, and especially Patrik, I think she developed more respect and understanding for Farzad and for the work itself.

The author brings to mind so many people with common goals (in this case, nuclear disarmament) and different conflict that each encounters in different countries. Iran and their race to get nuclear weapons before the rest of the Middle East and the implications for the current crisis bring this into the most current events!

I was familiar with the broad strokes on the topic but not fully cognizant of the level of participation of the various countries, and the difference of opinions within the allies regarding disarmament and non-proliferation.

Amineh never seemed to be in any conflict with Farzad's activism, just somewhat resentful of the time away. After witnessing first-hand the complexities of the topic, she did gain a better understanding and the appreciation of their mission for the greater good but didn't seem to have enough of an impact to get involved herself.