Everything Sad Is Untrue: (a true story)
An autobiographical YA novel in which an Iranian refugee boy tells his own story to classmates who do not believe him.
Work Information
Khosrou, later called Daniel, narrates his refugee childhood through layered stories about family, memory, and survival. Shaped by Scheherazade, the book asks who gets to own the truth.
Book Information
- Publisher
- Levine Querido
- Published
- 2020-08-25
- Pages
- 368 pages
- Language
- 英語
- Size
- 14.86 x 3.18 x 21.59 cm
- ISBN-13
- 9781646140008
- ISBN-10
- 1646140001
- Price
- 3842 JPY
- Category
- 洋書/Children's Books/Geography & Cultures/Explore the World/Middle East
Winner of the Michael L. Printz Award Christopher Award Winner Middle East Book Award Winner National Indie Bestseller NPR Best Book of the Year New York Times Best of the Year Amazon Best of the Year Booklist Editors' Choice BookPage Best of the Year NECBA Windows & Mirrors Selection Publishers Weekly Best of the Year Wall Street Journal Best of the Year Today.com Best of the Year Walter Awards Honor Book "A modern masterpiece."—The New York Times Book Review "Supple, sparkling and original."—The Wall Street Journal "Mesmerizing."—TODAY.com "This book could change the world."—BookPage "Like nothing else you've read or ever will read."—Linda Sue Park "It hooks you right from the opening line."—NPR SEVEN STARRED REVIEWS * "A modern epic."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review * "A rare treasure of a book."—Publishers Weekly, starred review * "A story that soars."—The Bulletin, starred review * "At once beautiful and painful."—School Library Journal, starred review * "Raises the literary bar in children's lit."—Booklist, starred review * "Poignant and powerful."—Foreword Reviews, starred review * "One of the most extraordinary books of the year."—BookPage, starred review A sprawling, evocative, and groundbreaking autobiographical novel told in the unforgettable and hilarious voice of a young Iranian refugee. It is a powerfully layered novel that poses the questions: Who owns the truth? Who speaks it? Who believes it? "A patchwork story is the shame of the refugee," Nayeri writes early in the novel. In an Oklahoman middle school, Khosrou (whom everyone calls Daniel) stands in front of a skeptical audience of classmates, telling the tales of his family's history, stretching back years, decades, and centuries. At the core is Daniel's story of how they became refugees—starting with his mother's vocal embrace of Christianity in a country that made such a thing a capital offense, and continuing through their midnight flight from the secret police, bribing their way onto a plane-to-anywhere. Anywhere becomes the sad, cement refugee camps of Italy, and then finally asylum in the U.S. Implementing a distinct literary style and challenging western narrative structures, Nayeri deftly weaves through stories of the long and beautiful history of his family in Iran, adding a richness of ancient tales and Persian folklore. Like Scheherazade of One Thousand and One Nights in a hostile classroom, Daniel spins a tale to save his own life: to stake his claim to the truth. EVERYTHING SAD IS UNTRUE (a true story) is a tale of heartbreak and resilience and urges readers to speak their truth and be heard.
Daniel Nayeri was born in Iran and spent a couple of years as a refugee before immigrating to Oklahoma at age eight with his family. He is the publisher of Odd Dot, an imprint of Macmillan, making him one of the youngest publishers in the industry. He has served on the CBC diversity committee and the CBC panel committee. He lives in New York City. His autobiographical novel, Everything Sad Is Untrue (a true story) was the winner of the Michael L. Printz Award.
Reviews
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Great
Very fast delivery. Great
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Exquisite
Absolutely loved this book - really interesting exploration of the refugee experience through a child’s POV.
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Hermoso libro .¿por que no l tenéis en español?
El libro es hermoso, muy bien escrito e increíblemente profundo. Muestra la vida de un niño refugiado, lo que dejó atrás, lo difícil del camino, la reacción de sus compañeros. De inmediato he kerido compartirlo con todos mis amigos esta navidad y entonces me he dado cuenta de que, aunque la versión en español existe (ISBN 9786078825059. Todo lo triste es mentira) vosotros no la tenéis. Por favor hacedla disponible,
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Lovely
Lovely story about life and how to overcome. Not only children should read it but everyone!
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A Great and True Story; and an Easy Read!
This is an amazing story! Culturally rich and beautifully written. It is the true story of, told from the perspective of a 12 year old boy. They became Christians in Iran and had to flee for their lives, from the Islamic Regime. It is beautiful and interesting, sad and inspiring, triumphant and joyful. Just read it! I just bought my second copy. My first was a gift!