Everything Sad Is Untrue: (a true story)
- Downloads：2349
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-09-09 06:57:36
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Daniel Nayeri
- ISBN：1646140001
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary
At the front of a middle school classroom in Oklahoma， a boy named Khosrou （whom everyone calls "Daniel"） stands， trying to tell a story。 His story。 But no one believes a word he says。 To them he is a dark-skinned， hairy-armed boy with a big butt whose lunch smells funny; who makes things up and talks about poop too much。
But Khosrou's stories， stretching back years， and decades， and centuries， are beautiful， and terrifying， from the moment he， his mother， and sister fled Iran in the middle of the night， stretching all the way back to family tales set in the jasmine-scented city of Isfahan， the palaces of semi-ancient kings， and even the land of stories。
We bounce between a school bus of kids armed with paper clip missiles and spitballs， to the heroines and heroes of Kosrou's family's past， who ate pastries that made them weep， and touched carpets woven with precious gems。
Like Scheherazade in a hostile classroom， author Daniel Nayeri weaves a tale of Khosrou trying to save his own life: to stake his claim to the truth。 And it is （a true story）。
It is Daniel's。
But Khosrou's stories， stretching back years， and decades， and centuries， are beautiful， and terrifying， from the moment he， his mother， and sister fled Iran in the middle of the night， stretching all the way back to family tales set in the jasmine-scented city of Isfahan， the palaces of semi-ancient kings， and even the land of stories。
We bounce between a school bus of kids armed with paper clip missiles and spitballs， to the heroines and heroes of Kosrou's family's past， who ate pastries that made them weep， and touched carpets woven with precious gems。
Like Scheherazade in a hostile classroom， author Daniel Nayeri weaves a tale of Khosrou trying to save his own life: to stake his claim to the truth。 And it is （a true story）。
It is Daniel's。
Reviews
Nicole
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4。5 stars
Courtney Stapel
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Woe。 My favorite book I’ve read this year so far I think。 A really heart-stopping tear jerker that will really make you think！ Forever love Khosrau and Sheepy Sheep
Abbey
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Stop whatever book you’re reading and pick this one up。 I am so grateful for writers who tell their story freely and without reserve。 I wish I could read this to my students and tell them that each of their stories matter so much。 Read this book！！
Jennifer Lenderking
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I would give this book 6 stars if I could。 It’s so heartfelt， original， heartbreaking， eye opening and just all around warm。 I will ask my daughter to read it when she’s older and I’ll likely read it again over the years
Nora Stewart
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This one came highly recommended， but I didn't love it。 Mostly because it's sold as a Middle-Grade kid's book， but came across as written to an adult。 Not inappropriate， but it felt unnecessarily gritty， and also immature at the same time。 Don't plan on reading again。 This one came highly recommended， but I didn't love it。 Mostly because it's sold as a Middle-Grade kid's book， but came across as written to an adult。 Not inappropriate， but it felt unnecessarily gritty， and also immature at the same time。 Don't plan on reading again。 。。。more
Areilly811
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Beautiful！
Cathy
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Wonderful！ Heartwarming and heartbreaking over and over。 I could not stop thinking about the stories as I kept reading the book。 While I probably will forget the details （which I do all the time ）， I won’t forgot how it made me feel。 I listened to the audio book， narrated by the author and just felt like I got to know him and got a very tiny glimpse of what it’s like to be a refugee。 Absolutely loved it！
Alisa Wartick
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Best book I have read this year。 12 stars。
Valerie
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It's hard to label this book non-fiction because while it is his story， he weaves in so many memories and Persian Folklore that it doesn't read as a non-fiction book。 His choice to write with the voice of a 12 year old also adds to this。 It is a book that I wanted to reread immediately after finishing it。 Through his humor as a boy encountering life， I saw a perspective of what it is like to face our American culture as an immigrant from a suspected country， Iran。 I saw the life as a bullied chi It's hard to label this book non-fiction because while it is his story， he weaves in so many memories and Persian Folklore that it doesn't read as a non-fiction book。 His choice to write with the voice of a 12 year old also adds to this。 It is a book that I wanted to reread immediately after finishing it。 Through his humor as a boy encountering life， I saw a perspective of what it is like to face our American culture as an immigrant from a suspected country， Iran。 I saw the life as a bullied child， one who's gone from wealth in his homeland to sheer poverty， often hungry and homeless in his new land。 A mother who never gives up even encountering abuse。。。 and yet the title！ Two people I recommended it to have said they wouldn't read it because of the title and yet the book is full of laughter， tears and tragedy。 It is perspective that leads to hope。 This is an amazing story。 A word: if you are a strong linear thinker: don't give up。 Bouncing from present reality， to folklore， to memory makes it unlinear but it works。 Go along for the ride。 。。。more
Candace Brown
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Wowowowow。 I read this by recommendation of my friends K and M and I am so glad I did。 This beautifully woven story （with its own Persian flaw* in the stitching） reads like a memoir with 1，001 Nights frame narrative， illusions， and imagery。 It’s simply stunning。 Note that there are some pretty intense descriptions of real situations refugees and people in abusive situations have faced。 I wouldn’t read it younger than maybe 8th grade。 Here are my favorite lines:“Imagine how unlikely it is for two Wowowowow。 I read this by recommendation of my friends K and M and I am so glad I did。 This beautifully woven story （with its own Persian flaw* in the stitching） reads like a memoir with 1，001 Nights frame narrative， illusions， and imagery。 It’s simply stunning。 Note that there are some pretty intense descriptions of real situations refugees and people in abusive situations have faced。 I wouldn’t read it younger than maybe 8th grade。 Here are my favorite lines:“Imagine how unlikely it is for two creatures of any kind to see each other through the shadows of the woods， eyes connecting， attention ready。 For a moment like that， all the universe would have to conspire to move all its pieces and line them up just so。 I think a person gets seen， really looked at， looked into， seen the way a leopard would see into you， maybe 10 times in their entire life。 And even then， who knows what a leopard would be thinking。”“It’s beautiful how badly we all want love。 It’s tragic how bad we are at searching for it。”“A patchwork memory is the shame of a refugee。”“If you believe it’s true， that there is a God who wants you to believe in Him and He sent His son to die for you， then it has to take over your life。 It has to be worth more than anything else because Heaven is waiting on the other side。”“Reading is the act of listening and speaking atthe same time with someone you’ve never met but love。 Even if you hate them， it’s a loving thing to do。 You speak someone else’s words to yourself and hear them for the first time。 What you’re doing now is listening to me in the parlor of your mind but also speaking to yourself， thinking about the parts of me you like or the parts that aren’t funny enough。 You evaluate like Mrs。 Miller says。 You think and wrestle with every word。” 。。。more
Audrey Grace
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Man， it took me about a third of the way into this book to acclimate to the style， but then I was totally hooked and charmed by this tapestry of essays。 An intricately woven story about a middle school Persian refugee and the mythology of his family and his life。A good read for adults or young people。
Allyson Thomley
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I loved this much more than I expected to。 While this is not a genre that I typically delve into， I’m so glad that I did。 There were many insightful takeaways and several laugh-out-loud moments mixed in with painful events。 It was interesting to find out more about Iranian history/Persian culture， especially after reading “Together Tea” earlier this year。 Now I just need to find a good local Persian restaurant - the food descriptions in this book were tantalizing。
Christy
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Read this book。
Megan Roach
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I absolutely loved this book。 Sigh。。
Bonnie Thrasher
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Marketed as fiction because the author had to rely on second hand knowledge， this memoir is actually biographical。 Thinking about this young man’s life story is simply sad。 Born in Iran to extremely successful physician parents， his mother and sibling make a life choice which throws them into exile。 Eventually they make it to Oklahoma。 There Khosrou， now known as Daniel because Americans cannot pronounce his name correctly， twists every writing prompt his seventh grade teacher gives him into his Marketed as fiction because the author had to rely on second hand knowledge， this memoir is actually biographical。 Thinking about this young man’s life story is simply sad。 Born in Iran to extremely successful physician parents， his mother and sibling make a life choice which throws them into exile。 Eventually they make it to Oklahoma。 There Khosrou， now known as Daniel because Americans cannot pronounce his name correctly， twists every writing prompt his seventh grade teacher gives him into his life stories。 This author embraced stories as the theme of this work。 I had to get about one hundred pages of 351 in before I realized what I was reading was going to stick with me in my thoughts for awhile。 This novel will stand the test of time。 Bravo。 。。。more
April
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3。5
LeeAnn
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This was such a unique memoir。 I’m glad I didn’t read too much about the details before I jumped into the story。 Loved this on audio。 Would love a Q & A with the author to hear more about his family now etc。 （I ended up having a few personal connections here… we’ve lived in Edmond，Ok too and my daughter married into a Persian family so many of the details of his stories carried extra weight for me）。 And the cover art is just beautiful！ So glad I was able to hear this story。
Kristen
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Took a while to get into the narrative， but the stories weave together to a poignant narrative on immigration， culture and how awful middle school kids can be。
Kelly
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Audio。 Interesting story。。would of liked a different ending because it seemed a bit abrupt。
Kelbi Veenstra
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This book was tricky for me。 Honestly， if you have the fortitude to make it through the first half， the second half is truly amazing！ But for me personally， the first half was beyond painful。 It did not make any sense （to me） and it was all over the place。 It made my head hurt。 Without my husband’s promise that the second half greatly improved， I l would’ve abandoned this book。
Caitie
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I cried so hard my contacts popped out and so I’m pretty sure this is one of the best books I have ever read in my life。
Lori Neff
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A marvelous book。 I had no idea what this book was about before reading it - it was an unexpected story that cultivated more empathy in me。
Melissa Kansky
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Beautifully written！ Touching story。 Everyone should experience this book。 I also highly recommend the audiobook。
Renee
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This book was strange。 I don't tend to read non-linear stories， just as personal preference， but I did enjoy this book， once I wrapped my brain around it。 The focus on the refugee experience， use of story telling and the character's family dynamic was very powerful and interesting to read。 It's books like these that remind to get out of my reading comfort zone and experience someone else's experience。 This book was strange。 I don't tend to read non-linear stories， just as personal preference， but I did enjoy this book， once I wrapped my brain around it。 The focus on the refugee experience， use of story telling and the character's family dynamic was very powerful and interesting to read。 It's books like these that remind to get out of my reading comfort zone and experience someone else's experience。 。。。more
Krista
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This book was shockingly refreshing and beautiful。 “Shocking” because I didn’t expect it。 There aren’t many books that I think everyone should read （well。。。）， but this is one of them。My boys and I listened to the author read it on Audible。 It was a great experience。
Trevor Atwood
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Incredible。 Exactly like I want a book written。 Deep。 Powerful。 Playful。 Daniel Nayeri is a master of the callback。 Making small profane things like poop or stuffed animals carry the glory of the deepest stuff in the universe。 Masterful。
Megan
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Throughout this book， I felt like I grew to be close friends with the author。 That his stories and memories and a part of me， the same way you learn the memories of friends。 I cried at the end， not because it was sad， but because it was over。
Rachel
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“I don’t know how my mom was so unstoppable despite all that stuff happening。 I dunno。 Maybe it’s anticipation。 Hope。 The anticipation that the God who listens in love will one day speak justice。 The hope that some final fantasy will come to pass that will make everything sad untrue。 Unpainful。”So good。 Made me cry。 Made me want to hug Khosrou and also everyone。 Made me weepy at the thought of our stories and how each one of us is just made up of thousands of stories and how we’re all part of a “I don’t know how my mom was so unstoppable despite all that stuff happening。 I dunno。 Maybe it’s anticipation。 Hope。 The anticipation that the God who listens in love will one day speak justice。 The hope that some final fantasy will come to pass that will make everything sad untrue。 Unpainful。”So good。 Made me cry。 Made me want to hug Khosrou and also everyone。 Made me weepy at the thought of our stories and how each one of us is just made up of thousands of stories and how we’re all part of a big one we can’t even imagine。 If you can vibe with the non-linear storytelling and the tangents （which felt so accurate to imagine them being told by an 8-year-old） this book is precious and meaningful 。。。more
Matt Graubner
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Everything Sad is Untrue is utterly engrossing。 I actually read it in only two days as I couldn’t put it down。 While the structure is different from many other works （more stream of consciousness than the temporal progression of a traditional narrative） it produces a very compelling account of Daniel Nayeri’s life。I especially appreciated the juxtaposition of his lives in Iran and America and feel that the narrative structure especially enhanced the storytelling。 I would most definitely recommen Everything Sad is Untrue is utterly engrossing。 I actually read it in only two days as I couldn’t put it down。 While the structure is different from many other works （more stream of consciousness than the temporal progression of a traditional narrative） it produces a very compelling account of Daniel Nayeri’s life。I especially appreciated the juxtaposition of his lives in Iran and America and feel that the narrative structure especially enhanced the storytelling。 I would most definitely recommend the book！ 。。。more
Cathe Fein Olson
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