On Saturday, August 8, 2026, BookCity Central hosted a discussion of The Invisible Collection. The event was held as part of Readability, BookCity Central’s book-club program, in collaboration with Shahrzad & Partners, and welcomed readers interested in fiction.
Beyond Reading the Text
Led and facilitated by Mahsa Ali-Mirzaei and Sepideh Borzegar, the session began with a distinctive, interactive approach. To create a deeper connection between readers and the world of the story, participants took part in a symbolic activity, sharing personal objects that carried emotional meaning for them. Inspired by the book’s central themes, the exercise invited participants to engage more closely with the ideas of value and attachment in the story, while creating an intimate setting for collective discussion.
Revisiting History Through Narrative
Another part of the session examined the work’s social context. A documentary depicting the historical setting and economic conditions of the period in which the story takes place offered participants a fuller picture of the pressures of inflation and the impact of war on the characters’ everyday lives. This contextual approach gave the discussion a foundation for a more analytical and informed exploration of the story’s themes.
The Translator as a Wordsmith: A Conversation with Ali-Asghar Haddad
The session reached its high point with the participation of Ali-Asghar Haddad, the book’s translator. In conversation with the audience, Haddad discussed the challenges of translating the work, the story’s linguistic nuances, and the worldview embedded in its words. During the question-and-answer segment, participants had the opportunity to ask about the translator’s approach to the text and his views on its style.
