Join the University of Toronto Alumni Virtual Book Club as we read The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali, a historical novel about friendship, loyalty, and the fight for women's freedom in a changing Iran. Spanning three decades, from 1950s Tehran to the 1979 Revolution, the story follows two girls from very different backgrounds whose lives are shaped by class, politics, and the promises they make to each other as children.

After her father's sudden death, seven-year-old Ellie and her mother lose their comfortable life and move to a modest home downtown. Lonely and isolated, Ellie finds a kindred spirit in Homa, a spirited classmate from a warm, politically engaged family, and together the two girls dream of becoming "lion women." When Ellie's fortunes change and she returns to a world of privilege, the friendship fades, until Homa reappears years later. As political tensions in Iran reach a breaking point, a single act of betrayal changes the course of both their lives [Read more].

Purchase your book from the U of T Bookstore—either in-store at the St. George location or online—and enjoy 20% off starting October 1. Use Code: 20KAMALI26 at checkout.

Marjan Kamali was born in Turkey to Iranian parents and holds degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, Columbia University, and New York University. She is the author of The Lion Women of Tehran, The Stationery Shop, and Together Tea, and lives in the Boston area.

How it Works

The U of T Alumni Virtual Book Club will connect through a private forum, powered by PBC Guru, where participants can discuss the current book and network with each other. Joining is free; you just have to get a copy of the book to enjoy. Please note that if you signed up for one of our previous sessions, then you're already registered - just sign into the U of T online portal.

To get started and access the book club, you will need to create an account via our book club portal:

• Click on the "Registration" button on the side bar to your right
• You'll be taken directly to the sign-up page
• Fill out the mandatory fields and then join
• You'll be sent a confirmation email and a link to join the group

Computer Literacy

You will need to have knowledge of the following skills to participate in this book club:

• Ability to use online communication tools, such as email (create, send, receive, reply, print, send/receive attachments), discussion boards (read, search, post, reply, follow threads), chats, and messengers.

• Understanding of basic computer hardware and software; ability to perform computer operations, such as:

  • Using software applications, such as email programs
  • Knowledge of copying and pasting, spell-checking
  • Internet skills (connecting, accessing, using browsers) and ability to perform online research using search engines

Disclaimer: The U of T Alumni Virtual Book Club is hosted on a third-party platform, PBC Guru. By signing up for the book club, participants will be subject to PBC Guru’s terms of service and privacy policy. The University of Toronto is not responsible for the collection, use, or security of personal data provided to PBC Guru. We encourage participants to review PBC Guru’s privacy policy before registering here: https://www.pbc.guru/about/legal/privacy. PBC Guru shares relevant registration information back to U of T Alumni Relations to track alumni engagement and activity effectively.