The stories in Better Than War encompass narratives from a diverse set of Iranian immigrants, many searching for a balance between memories of their homeland and their new American culture. The everyday life of each character subtly reflects viewpoints that are simultaneously Iranian and American, of all ages and circumstances. These stories deal with family, friends, relationships, urban life, prison, school, and adolescence. They also contain powerful messages about what people want, need, and deserve as citizens and human beings. For instance, in the story "Better Than War" a young Iranian boy must overcome the fear of asking an American girl on a date. His friend tells him there is no shame in pouring your heart out to someone you like. The boy must realize that expressing emotion and sorrow is worth the embarrassment because it shows loved ones that you are better than hatred-and especially better than war. All Iranian immigrants, young or old, carry with them a vivid past in their contemporary life. These histories help provide perspective, thankfulness, and virtue to their families and friends. Vossoughi's Better Than War is about growing up, coming of age, and raising children in America while still remembering the importance of retaining Iranian pride.
"Siamak Vossoughi's quiet but powerful stories capture the intricacy and profundity of the Iranian American experience. His characters are people just like us struggling to make sense of an often confusing world. Their inherent decency, delicacy of feeling, and desire for understanding are what defines them and what makes this big-hearted collection so special. Better Than War marks the debut of a
Anita Amirrezvani, author, The Blood of Flowers and Equal of the Sun
"Very readable . . . A compelling portrait of a way of life very different from our own."
Shadia Savo, Fourteen Hills
"Siamak Vossoughi's stories reveal an unjaded sense of wonder, which I have not witnessed in any writer since William Saroyan. The figures in these beautifully nuanced fictions seamlessly come together to touch the pressure points of our consciences. As such, the characters here act to better our ethical impulses and open our eyes to the possible goodnesses in the world. Vossoughi's compassionatel
Benjamin Hollander, author of In the House Un-American
