<DIV>Iran is a country of mountains striped with snow, dense forests where bears and lynxes still roam, deserts, bazaars . . . but above all it has stories ? of fairies and demons, of a monstrous metal eagle called the <I>okab,</I> of romantic cockroaches and foolish weavers. During her travels in that large and diverse country, award-winning novelist Elizabeth Laird has gathered a wealth of stories, and here she retells, in her own inimitable style, some of its best. This book is an exciting insight into a people with an ancient and rich culture, making an important contribution to international understanding as well as being a rewarding book in itself. Beautifully illustrated by a gifted young artist who was brought up in Iran, <I>Pea Boy and Other Stories from Iran</I> is a feast for the eye and the ear.</DIV>