Tremors: New Fiction by Iranian American Writers

by Anita Amirrezvani (Editor), Persis Karim (Editor)

This groundbreaking anthology brings together twenty-seven authors from a wide range of experiences that offer new perspectives on the Iranian American story. The authors in Tremors represent the maturing voice of Iranian American fiction from the vantage point of those who were born and raised in Iran, as well as those writers who reflect a more distant, but still important, connection to their Iranian heritage. Altogether, these narratives capture the diversity of the Iranian diaspora and complicate the often-narrow view of Iranian culture represented in the media. The stories and novel excerpts explore the deeply human experiences of one of the newest immigrant groups to the United States in its attempts to adjust and assimilate in the face of major historical upheavals such as the 1979 Iranian revolution, the hostage crisis, and the attacks of September 11, 2001. The stories set in Iran testify to the resilience, dignity, and humor of a people rich in history and culture.

Genres: Iran, Short Stories

362 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2013

About the author

Anita Amirrezvani is the author of the forthcoming novel Equal of the Sun, which was published by Scribner in June, 2012. Her first novel, The Blood of Flowers, has appeared in more than 25 languages and was long-listed for the 2008 Orange Prize for Fiction. She teaches at the California College of the Arts and at Sonoma State University.

Reviews

[Pouneh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book thinking the right thing to do as an Iranian-American is to support authors in my community. Little did I know how much their stories would provide me with the emotional support I longed for years. I read the first story and immediately identified with the culture shock and confusion felt by the characters upon arrival to the US. I read the second story and was thoroughly entertained by the intrigues and scandals the author reveals about her Jewish-Iranian-American community. By the time I got to the third story about a young girl struggling to give equal respect to the culture of her American mother and Iranian father I was hooked. Each successive story deal with issues of identity, migration, and assimilation all presented with the distinct type of love, humor and wit that distinguishes the Iranian-American self. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is trying to map their identity on the peripery of the dominant culture. And remember, don't judge a book by its cover, cause this somber image really doesn't do justice to the content!

[Theresa Leone Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best people I know is someone with whom I work, who moved here from Iran with his wife and two sons several years ago, after being persecuted for being of the Baha'i faith, and I could not help but think of him as I read these stories. Tremors is fiction all written by Iranian American authors. Many of the stories are about being new to the United States, others about being born here of Iranian parents. Some stories, like 'Keeping God,' are both sad and poignant; others are lighter, like 'Murder in Holmby Hills,' which had me laughing out loud. All of the stories are outstanding, not something common in books of short fiction, which usually boast of a few really good stories (if they're lucky) and some stories that are, if not mediocre, just pretty good. Not Tremors, though - ALL of the stories are terrific. Anita Amirrezvani, one of the best writers I have recently started reading, is one of the editors, and as her novels Equal of the Sun and The Blood of Flowers are both excellent(The Blood of Flowers is now one of my favorite books of all time), I knew the short fiction in Tremors would be good. The only fault I find with it is that Ms. Amirrezvani's contribution to it is from her novel, Equal of the Sun, which I've already read. I cannot wait for her next work! Highly recommend Tremors, and highly recommend The Blood of Flowers and Equal of the Sun! Also, the other editor, Persis Karim, included a story so good that I will also be looking for more of her work. :)

[Mina Mohebbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was an exquisite collection of fiction by Iranian American writers. I read each story with caution and really was able to identify with some of the more modern stories, such as the one about a girl's grandmother moving in with them in modern day America- I won't spoil it, but I will say that it does reflect a lot on the relationship I share with my own grandmother. Some of the stories of girls attending school in Revolutionary Iran offered insight into how conditions actually were- having books taken away from students for "Western Sentiment" was reflected in one of the stories. Overall, I would recommend this collection to everyone to read, as the variety of stories can interest all types of readers.

[Leila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written essays and short stories, especially by my talented friend Shideh Etat!