Charleston, South Carolina, Sept. 15, 2026: Palmetto Publishing has released Ascent: A Courageous Quest from Silence to Freedom, a memoir by Iranian-born author and entrepreneur Farzaneh that follows her path from rural Iran to the United States.
The book opens in the attic of a childhood home in Iran, where a young girl raised in a Sufi household writes private letters to God and questions the patriarchal customs and religious rules that shape her life. Books provide a refuge. Farzaneh describes the loss of her brother in childhood, the cultural expectations placed on girls, and acts of defiance that sustained her before she considered leaving the country.
The memoir recounts an abusive marriage in which obedience was treated as love. It also covers her move to the United States, the isolation of starting over in an unfamiliar society, and her efforts to build a career in a male-dominated business world. The book returns to a central question: how much can a person endure and still choose openness over bitterness.
“I wrote this book so that when someone finishes it, they feel more optimistic, more courageous in facing the issues in their own lives, and certain that it is never too late to rise, no matter their circumstances.”
Author background and advocacy#
Farzaneh holds a master’s degree and has written several previous books. Her advocacy focuses on preventing forced marriages and child brides. She witnessed girls as young as thirteen forced into marriage, an experience that shaped her later advocacy. She left home at thirteen, pursued education, and later moved to the United States.
Publication details#
Ascent is available for purchase through Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.
- Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
- ISBN-13: 9798318816765, 9798318816758, 9798318816772
Farzaneh is available for interviews.
