Misunderstood by Westerners, yet enchanting to visitors: Iran is a place where leading a double life has become the norm. In Couchsurfing in Iran, award-winning author Stephan Orth spends sixty-two days on the road in this mysterious Islamic republic to provide a revealing, behind-the-scenes look at life in one of the worldAca'a cs most closed societies. Experiencing daily the Aca'A two IransAca'A that coexist side by sideAca’“the Aca'A theocracy, where people mourn their martyrsAca'A in mausoleums, and the Aca'A hide-and-seekocracy, where people hold secret parties and seek worldly thrills instead of spiritual blissAca'A Aca”‘he learns that Iranians have become experts in navigating around their countryAca'a cs strict laws. Getting up close and personal with locals, he covers more than 5,000 kilometers, peering behind closed doors to uncover the inner workings of a country where public show and private reality are strikingly opposed.