(Aanhaa Ke Raftand Va Aanhaa Ke Maandand)
Parinoush Saniee
The Islamic Revolution 1978/79 generated an unprecedented deluge of exodus from Iran from which very few urban families were spared. The passage of time has widened this gap to the extent that today there are large numbers of siblings who do not understand and cannot identify with one another, variations of the spelling of their surnames are all that remains from what was once a tightly knit link. This novel tells the story of a family reunion, a mother and her six children with their foreign spouses after 30 years of separation. Initially there is great excitement, love and getting to know new members of their families; reminiscences of golden days and catching up on lives lived since. And all the different delicious Persian dishes that they have been longing for while abroad. But soon the disagreements on political and social issues start to emerge, tensions mount and secrets come to the fore. Now only one thing remains that binds both sides and forces them to continue with their dialogue and attempts to get to know one another afresh: their old mother.
‘Un beau roman foisonnant… d’une grande richesse intellectuelle et émotionnelle.’ Victoire Vidal-Viver, librairie La Manufacture (Romans-Sur-Isère)
Sales
- Polirom Romania
- Font Forlag Norway
- Robert Laffont France
- Bata Press Macedonia
- Andesha Kurdish
- Alianza Spain and Latin America
Material: Persian text, Full English translation