Roya Hakakian

This audiobook kept my interest as it covered the good and bad of the immigration experience in the U.S. I liked the way she used the second person "you" as if instructing me on what to expect. She covered her own experience coming from Iran and, after arrival, her continued fear of uniforms, of direct eye contact, and shaking a man's hand. She slowly learned the new social rules and that she was safe.

She also covered America's resistance to immigration throughout its history, starting way show more back, such as Ben Franklin's loathing of German immigrants. Every generation seems to target a different group.

But she was also upbeat in her many positive reports. Despite the difficulties, she loves America, and feels privileged to be here and to finally become an American citizen.

I love to read about newcomers impressions, both positive and negative.

Recommended. show less

A well-written history of an important but often overlooked moment in the history of Europe's relationship to the Iranian regime. Showing the fruits of extensive interviews, the book sometimes reads more like a novel than a history as it describes the thoughts and emotional state of some of the key characters.

I really wanted to like A Beginner's Guide to America. The idea is certainly a winner - a book about the experience of a recent immigrant to America, written by a recent immigrant in the form of a guidebook.

Unfortunately, I just didn't connect with this book.

Perhaps it was because it was told in the 2nd person. "You" came to America with this or that expectation, after "you" suffered this or that experience in your homeland. In small quantities 2nd person works, but when an author writes a show more whole book that way there is a risk that your readers may not connect with your "you".

Maybe it's the way the author put the material together. Hakakian took her own immigrant experience, and blended it in with the experiences of other recent immigrants she interviewed into a single thread. The problem is not all the experiences blend together and without any attachment to real people it was harder to connect.

Don't get me wrong - there were parts of the book I did connect with. But overall I can't really recommend this one. Two stars ⭐⭐. show less

Beautifully written account of a girl growing up in revolutionary Iran in the late 70s. I loved the plain language especially. It wasn't intellectualised, but just a straight tale, well told. And I suppose it goes to show that women in revolution countries are always the asme. Idealistic, hopeful and ultimately suppressed.