Author: Hakakian, Roya

Brand: Knopf

Color: Blue

Edition: 1st Edition

Binding: Hardcover

Format: Deckle Edge

Number Of Pages: 240

Release Date: 16-03-2021

Details: Product Description A stirring, witty, and poignant glimpse into the bewildering American immigrant experience from someone who has lived it. Also, a mirror held up to America. Into the maelstrom of unprecedented contemporary debates about immigrants in the United States, this perfectly timed book gives us a portrait of what the new immigrant experience in America is really like. Written as a "guide" for the newly arrived, and providing "practical information and advice," Roya Hakakian, an immigrant herself, reveals what those who settle here love about the country, what they miss about their homes, the cruelty of some Americans, and the unceasing generosity of others. She captures the texture of life in a new place in all its complexity, laying bare both its beauty and its darkness as she discusses race, sex, love, death, consumerism, and what it is like to be from a country that is in America's crosshairs. Her tenderly perceptive and surprisingly humorous account invites us to see ourselves as we appear to others, making it possible for us to rediscover our many American gifts through the perspective of the outsider. In shattering myths and embracing painful contradictions that are unique to this place, A Beginner's Guide to America is Hakakian's candid love letter to America. Review “ A Beginner’s Guide to America is a striking and beautiful work: both a genuinely practical primer for newcomers to America, and a deeply personal account of Arrival—an event that underlies nearly every American life. Roya Hakakian provides a timely, entertaining, historically rich reminder of the hope and opportunity this country has offered to so many, for so long, and the rewards it has reaped in return.” —Jennifer Egan, author of Manhattan Beach  “[Her] observation takes the seemingly banal into the realm of the profound and is characteristic of Hakakian’s honest and beautiful book. . . Hers is a “guide,” yes, but of an amicable kind. She offers counsel to readers, not commandments, and although her book could be seen as a love letter to America, it is one that’s been written by an exacting lover who isn’t blind to this country’s flaws.” —Tunku Varadarajan, The Wall Street Journal “Poignant and richly observed . . . [Hakakian] captures the immigrant’s twinned sense of hope and loss with lyrical precision. Readers will salute this astute and sincere look at what it means to 'be remade' on American soil.” —Publishers Weekly “Pleasingly intimate . . . An enlightening reminder about human rights and civic responsibility, all too relevant in a troubled time.” —Kirkus “Although narrated as advice for incoming immigrants, this personal, yet practical account is intended to challenge misconceptions and biases that native-born U.S. citizens have toward documented and undocumented immigrants. It is highly recommended for all.” – Library Journal “Through the use of the second person and a ‘guidebook’ structure, Hakakian’s writing possesses a lyrical quality as she describes quotidian details of life, from arriving in the U.S. on to shopping, then sex and romance.” — The National Book Review “ A Beginner’s Guide to America shines many lights on this country’s idiosyncrasies . . . but Hakakian strikes a critical balance between admiration and criticism, achieving a love letter to America that nevertheless isn’t blind to the country’s imperfections.” — Tabby Refael, Jewish Journal  “Roya Hakakian is one of the most gifted and evocative writers of our day—her words are magic—and  A Beginner’s Guide to America is a tour de force. Brilliant and sweeping, full of crackling insights on every page, this book is delightful, witty, transporting, and deeply inspiring—just what America needs.” —Amy Chua, author of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother  “ A Beginner’s Guide to America is a timely, compelling examination of what life in the U.S. looks like for immigrants from the moment they land here and begin adjusting to a new culture.  Highly recommende

Package Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.0 x 1.0 inches

Languages: English