Recommended Reading
Published memoirs and first-person accounts that complement the stories shared on Now We Speak. These books offer deeper insight into the experiences of people who lived under — and escaped — oppressive regimes.
Iran
Memoirs from Iranians who survived imprisonment, persecution, and the upheaval following the Islamic Revolution.
Prisoner of Tehran
by Marina Nemat
A memoir of survival in Iran's Evin Prison after the Islamic Revolution. Marina's story is also shared on our platform.
Read their story on Now We SpeakFleeing the Hijab
by Sima Goel
A young woman's escape from post-revolutionary Iran and her journey to build a new life in Canada.
Captive in Iran
by Maryam Rostampour & Marziyeh Amirizadeh
Two women imprisoned in Evin Prison for their Christian faith share their story of courage and resilience.
No Friend But the Mountains
by Behrouz Boochani
Written entirely via text message from an Australian offshore detention center, this is a Kurdish-Iranian journalist's account of seeking asylum.
Out of Iran
by Sousan Azadi
A mother's harrowing escape from Iran with her young son after the Islamic Revolution.
North Korea, Cuba & Beyond
Memoirs from other regions represented on our platform — each one the source material behind a story shared here.
In Order to Live
by Yeonmi Park — North Korea
A young woman's journey from North Korea through China's human trafficking networks to freedom. Yeonmi's story is also shared on our platform.
Read their story on Now We SpeakThe Girl with Seven Names
by Hyeonseo Lee — North Korea
A decade of living under false identities in China before reaching South Korea — and then going back to rescue her family. Hyeonseo's story is also shared on our platform.
Read their story on Now We SpeakAgainst All Hope
by Armando Valladares — Cuba
Twenty-two years in Castro's prisons for refusing to display a pro-government sign. Armando's story is also shared on our platform.
Read their story on Now We SpeakHave Your Own Story?
If you or someone you know has escaped an oppressive regime, we invite you to share your first-person account on Now We Speak. Your story is yours to tell — we are here to amplify it.
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