WinneroftheMichaelL.PrintzAwardChristopherAwardWinnerMiddleEastBookAwardWinnerNationalIndieBestsellerNPRBestBookoftheYearNewYorkTimesBestoftheYearAmazonBestoftheYearBooklistEditors’ChoiceBookPageBestoftheYearNECBAWindows&MirrorsSelectionPublishersWeeklyBestoftheYearWallStreetJournalBestoftheYearToday.comBestoftheYearWalterAwardsHonorBook“Amodernmasterpiece.“--TheNewYorkTimesBookReview“Supple,sparklingandoriginal.“--TheWallStreetJournal“Mesmerizing.“--TODAY.com“Thisbookcouldchangetheworld.“--BookPage“Likenothingelseyou’vereadoreverwillread.“--LindaSuePark“Ithooksyourightfromtheopeningline.“--NPRSEVENSTARREDREVIEWS*“Amodernepic.“--KirkusReviews,starredreview*“Araretreasureofabook.“--PublishersWeekly,starredreview*“Astorythatsoars.“--TheBulletin,starredreview*“Atoncebeautifulandpainful.“--SchoolLibraryJournal,starredreview*“Raisestheliterarybarinchildren’slit.“--Booklist,starredreview*“Poignantandpowerful.“--ForewordReviews,starredreview*“Oneofthemostextraordinarybooksoftheyear.“--BookPage,starredreviewAsprawling,evocative,andgroundbreakingautobiographicalnoveltoldintheunforgettableandhilariousvoiceofayoungIranianrefugee.Itisapowerfullylayerednovelthatposesthequestions:Whoownsthetruth?Whospeaksit?Whobelievesit?“Apatchworkstoryistheshameoftherefugee,“Nayeriwritesearlyinthenovel.InanOklahomanmiddleschool,Khosrou(whomeveryonecallsDaniel)standsinfrontofaskepticalaudienceofclassmates,tellingthetalesofhisfamily’shistory,stretchingbackyears,decades,andcenturies.AtthecoreisDaniel’sstoryofhowtheybecamerefugees--startingwithhismother’svocalembraceofChristianityinacountrythatmadesuchathingacapitaloffense,andcontinuingthroughtheirmidnightflightfromthesecretpolice,bribingtheirwayontoaplane-to-anywhere.Anywherebecomesthesad,cementrefugeecampsofItaly,andthenfinallyasylumintheU.S.Implementingadistinctliterarystyleandchallengingwesternnarrativestructures,NayerideftlyweavesthroughstoriesofthelongandbeautifulhistoryofhisfamilyinIran,addingarichnessofancienttalesandPersianfolklore.LikeScheherazadeofOneThousandandOneNightsinahostileclassroom,Danielspinsataletosavehisownlife:tostakehisclaimtothetruth.EVERYTHINGSADISUNTRUE(atruestory)isataleofheartbreakandresilienceandurgesreaderstospeaktheirtruthandbeheard.
