"But considering my pocket money, which has to cover other expenses ... I have to be cautious about the budget that I dedicate to books."
Besides the subsidy cuts, Iran is also coping with international sanctions, aimed at squeezing its economy to force the government to curb a nuclear program which the United States and its allies say may be aimed at making atomic weapons.
The sanctions have pushed away many foreign companies from investing in much-needed upgrades in the energy sector and made it more difficult for Iran to access international banking.
Iran's government denies the sanctions have greatly impacted the economy and Culture Minister Mohammad Hosseini also dismissed complaints from the book industry about economic hardship and heavy-handed strictures hurting business.
"Cultural works are not like other businesses from which you can expect to have a high income," said the minister," Hosseini was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency on January 15.
Books have a special place in Iran, whose city bookshops range from family-owned holes in the wall to gleaming modern chains that would not look out of place in New York or London.
Through the centuries, Iranians have gathered in tea houses to listen to recitals of the Shahnameh -- an epic poem written around 1,000 A.D. by Ferdowsi. He dedicated most of his life to the masterpiece and is credited with playing a significant role in the survival of the Persian, or Farsi, language.
An Iranian proverb says the works of Hafez -- the 14th century poet who inspired Germany's Goethe -- can be found in the homes of all Iranians.
As well the economic straits, the book industry says it also faces tighter restrictions from the Islamic Republic's government, which has dictated what Iranians are permitted to read since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution.
When we are old and grey, what will we look back on and wish we did differently? What memories will we cherish, what choices will we regret?
