Nasim Khaksar was a celebrated writer when, in 1983, he was forced to flee Iran. Today, for his new book, he decides to retrace the arduous route he took when he escaped.

During the re-trekking of his  route, Nassan's pre exile life comes to light. How with a few friends, he had founded a literary magazine which lead to  harassment by the Shah's secret service, the dreaded Savak. He was then arrested, tortured and spent some eight years in prison. Finally, he was liberated from prison by the Islamic revolution of 1979, but in time the Khomeiny regime condemned him to death. It was only his popularity as a writer that prevented a surreptitious execution and he was able to flee the country. After some wandering, he settled in Utrecht, Holland.

Though his work as a writer reveals the  profound loneliness of  exile, his hopes of ever returning to Iran dissolve when confronted with the actuality of stepping across the border into Iran at the end of his trip.