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Laleh Khadivi
Laleh Khadivi is a major talent. We were honored to have her appear at Sunriver Books & Music. The Age of Orphans is set in Iran and focuses on the suppression of the Kurdish people. The main character is a mere child as the book opens, he likes to pretend he can fly while jumping from the roof of his low slung home. He is surrounded by uncles, aunts, cousins and a village full of tradition and family. His father takes him along when the Kurdish men go to fight against the Shah's soldiers. He watches his father and the men of his village brutally killed in battle. The Shah's soldiers take the young boy naming him Reza for the Shah. He is eventually put in a barracks with other orphans of war where he trains to be a soldier too. These children undergo a violent suppression of self, they are taught to despise their character, to view their ancestors as a disgrace. Their tribal culture is erased. When Reza is ordered to fight against his people, he excels in the brutality of his new masters. Rewarded and promoted, Reza marries a Tehran girl, a girl who disdains the Kurds. He is sent to govern in the Kurdish areas where he has a crisis of identity. This is a powerful story that needs to be told. If you liked The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseni, you will find The Age of Orphans a compelling look at the brutal suppression of the Kurdish people. The images are often quite disturbing. We are eagerly awaiting her next book!
