Iranians are a sentimental nation, a fact that could be used against the accusations of terrorism. Yes, we do have criminals, but what nation doesn’t?
Everyone is dying. Lately I have attended too many funerals, burials and memorial services. “What’s going on?” I asked my husband. “We haven’t seen a
A simple question is thrown in the air and suddenly, like a fast-forwarded film, my entire life flashes past me. “What does walking home mean
One of my limited sources of pride is having guarded my culture to the best of my ability. I mean, true as it may be
In preparation for harsh experiences we brace ourselves, but no amount of bracing could have prepared me for a visit to Auschwitz. I thought I
Non-Iranian readers seem to find the cultural aspect of my recent novel interesting and often ask questions about it at discussions. It was during one
Last night I had a fabulous dream, though it couldn’t have had a more bizarre setting. While the location seemed suitable for a wedding, I
As the events surrounding the One Book, One San Diego program approach, it’s hard for me to decide which is more important: My spot on
Last week I had the pleasure of attending the 24th annual All People’s breakfast in honor of Martin Luther King. We had a good speaker
Christmas morning is gone, the tree has lost its lure and somehow its glittery skirt fails to cover the nudity. We’re all a bit richer
More than three decades have gone by, and yet the sounds of fury are strong. Not a day goes by without someone mentioning the name
Dear friends and family: Here is my pride and joy! The Zan Magazine’s premier issue is out and as you can see on the cover,
I apologize to anyone who prefers the title The Scarlet Stone, but the first Time I read Mohreye Sorkh by Siavash Kasrai, it brought to
Fundraising has never been my strong point. Having experienced some level of humiliation at previous attempts, I have a hard enough time asking for sponsorship,
There are too many books out there with a desperate attempt at giving the dying Persian language a useless CPR. So far all I’ve learned
Not everyone is religious, but even the nonbelievers may have a phrase saved for that moment of need to communicate with the supreme power. I
There used to be a time when I wished I could read all the good books that are out there. Then I grew older, wiser,
Not too long ago, there were times when I played a competitive game of tennis in the heat of Chicago summers and felt so out
Hamid Mosaddegh’s poem points to the fact that change may begin with one, but it will only lasts when a group joins hands. And I
God bless the typical Iranian fathers for they are far better than they seem, far less appreciated than they deserve, and are changing so fast
While reading War on Error by Melody Moezzi, I was overcome by awe for a young Iranian-American woman who is brave enough to take a
Raising kids, one needs to be nurturing and constantly encourage them. To give them self-confidence, one should never label them with negative traits. “Keep repeating
A nice anecdote says, “Age is a matter of mind, if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” The youngest in my family, I don’t mind
This is the first Norooz when I have no new outfit, no sabzeh, and not even a haft-seen. I won’t even mention how my major
A few months ago, I attended an interesting talk by Reza Aslan and the topic revolved around regulations that are bound to influence our future.
