Tamara Agha-Jaffar (Author of Ancient Reflections)

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Tamara Agha-Jaffar

老虎机稳赢方法 Author

Website

Genre

Classics, Fiction, Mythology

Member Since

January 2016

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I have been in academia all my professional life, as a professor of English, an academic dean, and a Vice President for Academic Affairs. I retired in July 2013. I finally have time to do what I love best: read and write.

My interest in reading runs the gamut from books on ancient cultures, beginning with the mythology and culture of ancient Mesopotamia; world religions; poetry, especially the poetry of the British Romantics; novels; the classics; and all things feminist.

My awards include the 2004 Kansas Professor of the Year Award from the Carnegie Foundation and the 2010 President鈥檚 Call to Service Award for my volunteer work with the local school district, with victims of sexual assault, and with community shelters for battered women.

I ...more

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How do you deal with writer鈥檚 block?

Tamara Agha-Jaffar Writer鈥檚 block is a bit like a roadblock: it doesn鈥檛 mean you can鈥檛 get to your destination. It just means you have to find a different way to get the鈥辞谤别Writer鈥檚 block is a bit like a roadblock: it doesn鈥檛 mean you can鈥檛 get to your destination. It just means you have to find a different way to get there.
I deal with writer鈥檚 block by going around it. If I get stuck at a certain point in my writing, I leave that section and start working on a different section where the writing flows more easily. That action triggers the writing juices. Somehow, while I am working on the 鈥渆asy鈥� section, my mind simultaneously tries to figure a way around the writing block. The activity seems to percolate in the background, sometimes without my even being conscious of it. By the time I have finished the 鈥渆asy鈥� section, I find I can go back to the point where I encountered the block and, just like magic, the block seems to have been cleared away. The orange barrels have disappeared and the road ahead is open and clear. (less)

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With which of your books do you recommend a reader start?

Tamara Agha-Jaffar Hi Mark,
Thank you for the question.

In answer to your question, I think it depends on what interests you the most. The books are based on different myt鈥辞谤别Hi Mark,
Thank you for the question.

In answer to your question, I think it depends on what interests you the most. The books are based on different myths and tell very different stories.

A Pomegranate and the Maiden re-tells the story of the abduction and release of Persephone to the Underworld by the god of the Underworld, Hades. It is told through the voice of the many characters involved. You hear the voice of Zeus, the patriarch, who thinks he can dispense with the women in his life as he sees fit; Demeter, the mother, who retaliates and insists on a mother鈥檚 right; Persephone, the young girl on the cusp of womanhood, who loves her mother but wants to escape from her suffocating tentacles; and many, many others. Each character interprets the same event through a different lens.

The novel is also available on Audible with me as the narrator. I grew up in England so my accent is decidedly British:) You can hear a sample if you go to my page on Amazon and click on the link to Audible.

If you are interested in Homer鈥檚 Odyssey, you might enjoy Unsung Odysseys which tells the story of Odysseus鈥� return from Troy through the voices of women: his mother and wife as they plead with him not to set off on this fool-hardy adventure; his wife as she struggles to raise her son and keep the suitors at bay; his nurse as she tries to shepherd his young son into manhood; the witch who guides him; the love-struck princes who wants him to acknowledge her; the possessive nymph who refuses to release him; and the goddess who mentors him.

Finally, if you are interested in a 4,000-year-old myth from ancient Mesopotamia, I suggest you begin with Gilgamesh of Uruk. Told in the 3rd person point of view, Gilgamesh of Uruk recounts the adventures of the epic hero, Gilgamesh鈥攁n actual king mentioned in the Sumerian King List. It retells the story of Gilgamesh鈥檚 meeting with Enkidu; their strong bond; their battle with Humbaba, the guardian of the Cedar Forest; their battle with the Bull of Heaven sent by the goddess Ishtar; Enkidu鈥檚 death; and Gilgamesh鈥檚 journey to his ancestor, Utnapishtim, to unlock the secret of immortality. It includes Utnapishtim鈥檚 description of a devastating flood that bears an uncanny resemblance to the flood story in Genesis, preceding it by a couple of thousand years. So if you鈥檙e interested in epic heroes, quests, and battling monsters, I suggest you start with this book.

Let me know which book you decide to read. I鈥檇 love to hear what you think of it when you鈥檙e finished. Meanwhile, take care. All best and happy reading.(less)

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Tamara Agha-Jaffar鈥檚 books

Average rating: 4.02 · 128 ratings · 51 reviews · 6 distinct works

	Ancient Reflections: A Mythic Trilogy 4.44 avg rating — 36 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Women and Goddesses in Myth and Sacred Text 3.81 avg rating — 31 ratings — published 2004 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Pomegranate and the Maiden 3.96 avg rating — 23 ratings — published 2015 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Gilgamesh of Uruk 3.89 avg rating — 18 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Unsung Odysseys 3.85 avg rating — 13 ratings — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Demeter and Persephone: Lessons from a Myth 3.71 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 2002 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Tamara Agha-Jaffar…

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Tamara Agha-Jaffar's Blog

2025 Reading Challenge--April Update

I had a very satisfying reading month. I read two great books by Maggie O'Farrell. She is currently one of my favorite authors. I haven't read a single book of hers that I didn't enjoy. Costanza Casati is another author I like. I loved her Clytemnestra and Babylonia. I also re-read George Orwell's Animal Farm. I found it to be as relevant today as it was when he wrote it 80 years ago. Elizabeth O' Read more of this blog post »

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Published on April 30, 2025 08:13 • Tags: 2025-reading-challenge

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Tamara鈥檚 Recent Updates

Tamara Agha-Jaffar rated a book liked it The Discomfort of Evening by Lucas Rijneveld	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Set on a dairy farm in the Netherlands, The Discomfort of Evening by Lucas Rijneveld, translated from the Dutch by Michele Hutchison, is a dark and disturbing novel about a family unraveling after the accidental death of Matthies, the eldest son. The ...more
May 13, 2025 06:22PM · 2 likes · like · see review
Tamara Agha-Jaffar made a comment in the group 2025 Reading Challenge — Tamara's 55 Reads and Reviews topic " 30/55. The Discomfort of Evening by Lucas Rijneveld; translated from the Dutch by Michele Hutchinson. My review: /review/show. ...more "
May 13, 2025 11:12AM
Tamara Agha-Jaffar made a comment in the group All About Books — Tamara's 55 Reads and Reviews topic " 30/55. The Discomfort of Evening by Lucas Rijneveld; translated from the Dutch by Michele Hutchinson. My review: /review/show. ...more "
May 13, 2025 11:11AM
Tamara Agha-Jaffar rated a book liked it The Discomfort of Evening by Lucas Rijneveld	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Set on a dairy farm in the Netherlands, The Discomfort of Evening by Lucas Rijneveld, translated from the Dutch by Michele Hutchison, is a dark and disturbing novel about a family unraveling after the accidental death of Matthies, the eldest son. The ...more
May 13, 2025 11:07AM · 2 likes · like · see review
Tamara Agha-Jaffar wants to read The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles (老虎机稳赢方法 Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 10, 2025 12:25PM · like
Tamara Agha-Jaffar made a comment on her review of The Moor's Account " Thank you for your comment, George. I hope you enjoy the novel. "
May 10, 2025 07:30AM · see review
Tamara Agha-Jaffar made a comment on her review of The Frozen River " Me too! Thanks, Dale. "
May 08, 2025 04:33AM · see review
Tamara Agha-Jaffar made a comment in the group 21st Century Literature — C21L - What are you reading? topic " I read The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. I'd heard so much about this novel that I was looking forward to reading it. But it just wasn't for me. My rev ...more "
May 06, 2025 04:37PM
Tamara Agha-Jaffar rated a book it was ok The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (老虎机稳赢方法 Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon is inspired by the diary entries of an 18thC midwife and healer, Martha Ballard. The novel unfolds in two threads with different time frames. The opening thread is set in Hallowell, Maine, in 1789, when Martha is summ ...more
May 06, 2025 04:25PM · 7 likes · like · see review
Tamara Agha-Jaffar rated a book it was amazing The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O'Farrell (老虎机稳赢方法 Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O'Farrell alternates between two separate timelines, decades apart, that are seemingly unconnected but which overlap at the end of the novel when the past sneaks up into the present. The first timeline occurs ...more
Apr 30, 2025 08:08AM · 10 likes · like · see review

More of Tamara's books…

Quotes by Tamara Agha-Jaffar (?)

“My anger mounted. 鈥淲hat about your son and me? What about us? How can you even think of leaving me alone here with our baby boy? Telemachus needs his father. What鈥檚 going to happen to us if you leave? Who will help me raise him? Who will take care of us? You know as well as I do some of the men around here are nothing but a bunch of scoundrels. Mark my words, Odysseus. The second you鈥檙e gone, they鈥檒l swarm in here like bees around honey. They鈥檒l take over the place. I won鈥檛 be able to do a thing to stop them.”
― Tamara Agha-Jaffar, Unsung Odysseys

tags: historical-fiction-novel, mythic-fiction, odyssey, retelling

5 likes

“You cruel, hard-hearted gods!鈥� I flung the goblet in his direction. Hermes barely had time to dart out of its way before it hit the wall and shattered to small pieces. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e all the same! Hsst! Jealous! Vindictive! That鈥檚 what you are! You allow yourselves to take pleasure with any mortal you wish. Let a goddess do the same. Let a goddess choose a mortal for her lover, and you set off in a fury of revenge against her as if her actions are an affront to you. And all the while, you male gods allow yourselves all kinds of liberties you deny to us females.”
― Tamara Agha-Jaffar, Unsung Odysseys

tags: historical-fiction, mythic-fiction, odyssey, retelling

4 likes

“It happened so quickly. One minute I was plucking the flower, and the next I was in his chariot immersed in darkness. I struggled to wrench myself free from his grasp and run away. I twisted as far as I could, hoping to see mother chasing after me. But ahead of me, behind me, on either side of me, everywhere I looked, all I could see was darkness.”
― Tamara Agha-Jaffar, A Pomegranate and the Maiden

tags: demeter-and-persephone, historical-fiction, mythic-fiction, retelling

2 likes

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Polls

What should be our March Group Read? (Mythology/Folklore/Retellings)

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

20 votes 18.0%

Girl Meets Boy by Ali Smith

16 votes 14.4%

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

12 votes 10.8%

A Pomegranate and the Maiden by Tamara Agha-Jaffar

11 votes 9.9%

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

11 votes 9.9%

Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin

10 votes 9.0%

The Girl in the Glass Box by Andi Adams

9 votes 8.1%

Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente

8 votes 7.2%

The Goddess Chronicle by Natsuo Kirino

7 votes 6.3%

The Letters of Mina Harker by Dodie Bellamy

5 votes 4.5%

The Firebrand by Marion Zimmer Bradley

2 votes 1.8%

Athena the Brain by Joan Holub

0 votes 0.0%

111 total votes

5 comments

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Read Women: March nominations - Mythology/Folklore/Retellings	27	123	Jan 31, 2017 03:25AM
Into the Forest: July/Sept Group Read Theme Nomination	24	47	Jun 30, 2019 05:21PM
Into the Forest: Greek Mythology Group Read Nominations	34	53	Sep 03, 2019 10:52AM
Read Women: 2019 Summer Challenge - Fantasy and Mythology	67	118	Sep 25, 2019 02:20AM
Into the Forest: Hags and Crones Group Read Book Nominations	42	32	Nov 12, 2019 07:01AM
Middle East/North...: * 2019 plan	78	145	Dec 10, 2019 11:21PM
Middle East/North...: * 2019 MENA Lit Challenge Progress	118	137	Jan 01, 2020 12:11PM

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Tamara鈥檚 Quotes

“Sit in a room and read--and read and read. And read the right books by the right people. Your mind is brought onto that level, and you have a nice, mild, slow-burning rapture all the time.”
― Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth

tags: advice-for-daily-living, inspirational, reading

806 likes

“That's the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.”
― Jhumpa Lahiri, The Namesake

6468 likes

“And once the storm is over, you won鈥檛 remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won鈥檛 even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won鈥檛 be the same person who walked in. That鈥檚 what this storm鈥檚 all about.”
― Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

tags: adversity, inspirational, life-lessons, problems, trials

10572 likes