Synopsis
Said Sayrafiezadeh recounts his unusual childhood as the Iranian-American son of two zealous Socialists. Though his parents separated when Sayrafiezadeh was still an infant, each remained wedded to the socialist cause for life, as they dedicated themselves to fomenting the global workers' uprising that they believed was inevitable. While his parents abhorred the division of the classes, young Said simply hated class, as he was routinely ridiculed at school for his lack of basic "luxuries," such as sneakers and skateboards, and for his Iranian heritage, particularly during the Iran hostage crisis. His poignant memoir bounces nimbly between humor and horror, as he struggles to rectify his parents' huge and hopeless beliefs with the small but significant traumas of a kid's existence.
| Details | | Publication Date: | 2009-03-24 |
| Size | | Length: | 287 pages | | Height: | 8.5 in | | Width: | 5.8 in | | Thickness: | 1.0 in | | Weight: | 14.4 oz |
Publisher's Note
The son of an Iranian-born father and American Jewish mother separated since he was nine months old, a brilliant young writer struggles to break free from the powerful mythologies of his upbringing, to create a life--and a voice--of his own.
Industry Reviews
"Sayrafiezadeh's excellent memoir displays a sophistication and keen intelligence that allows him to walk the line between pain and humor without even seeming mawkish or cheaply cynical." (starred review)
(01/26/2009)
"The blend of socially conscious rhetoric with the sorrow and farce of daily detail is haunting, as true to the child's viewpoint as to that of the wry, successful adult looking back now."
(02/15/2009)
"I...wish Saïd Sayrafiezadeh had a surname that is simpler to pronounce. (Try this: say-RAH-fee-ZAH-day.) Because it's one that you may want to remember and be able to speak aloud, if this exacting and finely made first book is any indication....In WHEN SKATEBOARDS WILL BE FREE, Mr. Sayrafiezadeh writes with extraordinary power and restraint."
(03/31/2009)
"Sayrafiezadeh's story focuses less on his parents's dreams than on how he survived them--especially the myth of revolution as a means of rationalizing otherwise indefensible choices. His child's eye view...serves as a poignant reminder that...it's often children who are forced to deal with the real-world implications of the stories adults choose to live by."
(04/01/2009)
"WHEN SKATEBOARDS WILL BE FREE is a deadpan-hilarious account, deceptively dispassionate in tone and often heartbreaking in its coolness and directness."
(03/31/2009)
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