What we like to read

Hanya Yanagihara’s “A Little Life” is a literary force of immense emotional resonance. The novel follows four college friends – kind actor Willem, ambitious painter JB, frustrated architect Malcolm, and the brilliant, enigmatic Jude – who arrive in New York broke, navigating early careers and buoyed by ambition and deep camaraderie.

Spanning several decades, the narrative deepens into an extraordinary, operatic exploration of friendship, loyalty, and the complex boundaries of human endurance. Yanagihara crafts her characters with such exquisite psychological depth that they feel unmistakably real, holding the reader in a spell of profound empathy.

A masterpiece best experienced without knowing its turns in advance – heartbreaking, luminous, and deeply transformative. An unforgettable novel that lingers in the heart and mind long after the final page.

“Funny in Farsi” is much more than a humorous memoir – it offers an insightful, affectionate look at the unique dynamics and quirks of diaspora communities living abroad. With sharp self-irony, Firoozeh Dumas illustrates how immigrant families far from home bond even closer together, passionately preserving beloved traditions while navigating their new everyday reality.

The book truly shines where it captures the little absurdities of life between two worlds: from the challenges of translating Persian cultural etiquette (Taarof) to expansive, multi-generational family gatherings where second cousins and distant relatives are instantly part of the inner circle. Communities abroad often develop a distinct subculture of their own – defined by both nostalgic attachment to their roots and remarkable resilience.

Dumas accomplishes the feat of exploring cultural misunderstandings, prejudice, and identity with genuine warmth and without a trace of bitterness. A witty, deeply moving portrait of community life that resonates with anyone who navigates life between cultures.