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    To Keep the Sun Alive: A Novel
    Unavailable
    To Keep the Sun Alive: A Novel
    Unavailable
    To Keep the Sun Alive: A Novel
    Ebook274 pages5 hours

    To Keep the Sun Alive: A Novel

    By Rabeah Ghaffari

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

  • Paris, present day: a solar eclipse sweeps a seventy-five-year-old man back to the heart of Iran before the Revolution of 1979, immersing us in an unforgettable family saga with humor and history
  • To Keep the Sun Alive brings a large extended family fully to life in this mesmerizing story that recalls Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Lowland, Dinaw Mengestu’s The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears, and Rohinton Mistry's beloved body of work; it's a heartfelt and character-driven family drama that compels the reader to care deeply about the interwoven stories of the family
  • Ghaffari grew up in New York City and works in film and theater; this cinematic debut novel started as a screenplay before evolving into To Keep the Sun Alive
  • To Keep the Sun Alive introduces a story not often told to U.S. readers: a family in Iran—vivid, lovable, and fully formed—without pandering or hand-holding; readers are eager to discover new voices and experiences, like Mohsin Hamid’s Exit West
  • In a time of increased tension worldwide, this book is a timely reminder of the humanity of people caught in areas of political strife
  • The depth of detail in the writing and the immediacy and sensual experience of detail in To Keep the Sun Alive make for an extremely enjoyable read that fully places the reader in each scene, whether it be a chaotic (but mouthwatering) family lunch or an languorous afternoon in a sunny orchard
  • In real life, Rabeah Ghaffari’s family moved to the U.S. in 1979, just before the revolution; she was inspired to write the novel when she visited all that was left of her grandmother’s orchard is Naishapur: a small piece of adobe wall
  • She is a film editor and writer whose work has appeared in the Tribeca Film Festival. Her collaborative fiction with artist Shirin Neshat was featured in Reflections on Islamic Art (Bloomsbury/Qatar) and her documentary, The Troupe, featured Tony Kushner and received funding from the Ford Foundation and Lincoln Center. Her most recent feature-length screenplay, The Inheritors, was commissioned by producer/costume designer Patricia Field
  • Opportunities for events in art and film spaces, intersecting with the author's broad artistic community
  • Ghaffari’s father is well-known actor and director Mohammad Ghaffari, who will connect the author in circles beyond the literary world; Ghaffari’s connections in the film world have already led to a galley request from Sundance Productions (owned by Robert Redford)

  • Bookseller Praise for To Keep the Sun Alive
  • "I was completely swept away by this family epic set on the eve of the Iranian Revolution in an Edenic orchard in the small town of Naishapur. Ghaffari writes with such grace. To Keep the Sun Alive is a warm, heartful, deeply compassionate novel about people, the choices they make (or are made for them), and the stories that spring from the collision of the two." —Molly Moore, BookPeople (Austin, TX)
  • "Rabeah Ghaffari has written the perfect novel, a story of entwined sweetness and violence that hums with life. With this book, she thoughtfully explores issues of tradition, community, and identity amidst the growing tension and unease of the impending Islamic Revolution. But what moved me most (besides the mouthwatering descriptions of family meals) were her insights into each character's secret pain. I sympathized with even the most wretched, just as I dreaded the consequences of their actions. To Keep the Sun Alive is written with such wisdom, grace, and clarity, it's hard to believe it's a debut—hopefully the first book of many from this remarkable author!" —Lauren Peugh, bookseller, Powell's Books (Portland, OR)
  • "A character-driven portrait of the Iranian Revolution. I was especially drawn to the depiction of Iranian food and dining culture as a way of illustrating this tumultuous period." —Lesley Rains
    • LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCatapult
    Release dateJan 8, 2019
    ISBN9781948226103
    Unavailable
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    Reviews for To Keep the Sun Alive

    4/5

    11 ratings2 reviews

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    • 5/5
      I thought this book was lovely. Strong, too. Better (for me) taken primarily as a slew of short stories. The overall narrative wlwas a miss for me - - but I could tell it was my fault, because of my disjointed reading and partially because of my poor ability to hang on to foreign names. Big win for me, though.
    • 4/5
      3.5 starsThe setting of this novel alternates between pre-revolution Iran (1978) and 2012 Paris.In Iran, we meet the various members of one extended family. Most live at or near the orchard inherited by one if the older wives--it has been in her family for generations. The orchard's caretaker is an Afghan refugee, the wife's best friend is the local midwife. Two of the youngest generation (second cousins?) have fallen in love and hope to marry.In this setting we see, through their eyes, the revolution beginning. Only the oldest brother, the mullah, sees it (and wants it) for what it will be. The others hope for positive change or try to ignore it. As the mullah and then his nephew get more wrapped up, the nephew's brother is going the other way, regretting the change he had hoped for. Ghaffari also makes clear why these men are so susceptible to wanting this change and to grab control. As rejected/unfavored children, they have grown up feeling inferior to younger siblings and stewing in jealousy and hatred. Which makes them susceptible to grabbing any control when they have the chance.I saw Ghaffari speak on a panel at the 2019 LA Times Festival of Books. She was born in Iran and now splits time between Iran and New York. She made it clear that while this is not her family, the orchard is modeled after an orchard that was in her family. It simply became her setting.