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Resolutions Eligible for refund or replacement
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Sons and Other Flammable Objects: A Novel Paperback – September 1, 2008

by Porochista Khakpour (Author)
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Compared by Danzy Senna to "the young Philip Roth" for her "lashing, dark humor tinged with deep melancholy," Porochista Khakpour is one of her generation's most outrageously gifted new talents.  Sons and Other Flammable Objects is at once a comedy and a tragedy, a family history, and a modern coming-of-age story with a distinctly timeless resonance.

Growing up, Xerxes Adam is painfully aware that he is different¡ªwith an understanding of his Iranian heritage that vacillates from typical teenage embarrassment to something so tragic it can barely be spoken. His father, Darius, obsesses over his sense of exile, and fantasizes about a nonexistent daughter he can relate to better than his living son; Xerxes' mother changes her name and tries to make friends; but neither of them can help their son make sense of the terrifying, violent last moments in a homeland he barely remembers. As he grows into manhood and moves to New York, his major goal in life is to completely separate from his parents, but when he meets a beautiful half-Iranian girl on the roof of his building after New York's own terrifying and violent catastrophe strikes, it seems Iran will not let Xerxes go.
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  1. Print length
    416 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Grove Press
  4. Publication date
    September 1, 2008
  5. Dimensions
    5.56 x 1.15 x 8.34 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0802143865
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0802143860
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Khakpour explores ethnicity, nationalism, and post-9/11 fear--well-worn themes that are far less compelling than the exuberant originality of her style. The characters burst from the page in fiery exchanges, while their chaotic inner lives are conveyed with witty precision . . . Khakpour's comic sense of familial tensions--particularly father-son enmity--is infectious."--The New Yorker

"Hypnotic, kaleidoscopic, gorgeous, and mad, this novel is a brilliant and astonishing debut. And the story it tells is the best kind of story--where comedy and tragedy weave together mysteriously and yet organically, like a shifting in the play of light, like life itself."

"Like the young Philip Roth, Porochista Khakpour uses lashing, dark humor tinged with deep melancholy to paint a wonderfully twisted portrait of family life. Xerxes Adam, the 'son' of the title, is a protagonist for our times: repulsed by his father and alienated from his motherland, he hides from his origins in the ashes of post-9/11 New York. This is a novel of searing Intelligence."

"Sons and Other Flammable Objects is a marvelous novel: witty, wise, continually surprising, continually inventive, exuberant, heartbreaking. It resists the easy categories of immigrant lit, family saga, first novel--because it is, first and foremost, a delightful, generous work of literary art."

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grove Press; Reprint edition (September 1, 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0802143865
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0802143860
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.56 x 1.15 x 8.34 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

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Porochista Khakpour

Porochista Khakpour

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Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
33 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Roy Clark
5.0 out of 5 stars PROMISED REVIEW IN DEPTH -I READ FOR BOTH STYLE & CONTENT
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2013
Verified Purchase
I read as much for style as much as content. Like how and what is written. Looking for another book I stumbled on S&OFO. Curious, I used Amazon's 'Look Inside' feature and immediately read the tidbit pages offered. I was enraptured. Still am. Ordered this book immediately. Really looking forward to delivery. Yes, I will write a compleat review after I read it cover to cover, no doubt in one sitting, the whole flaming book. Read its reviews. Use Amazons' Look Inside feature and get raptured. rclarknv
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This initially book drew me because of the 'writer's voice',
i.e., the quality/personality of how what's written is written.

Into S&OFO I found a surprising amount of content to match the writing skills. Like Persian (like, Iranian) history, insights into the manner of thinking of Iranians, especially the upper-class/intellectuals. Admirable and deep-thinking.Their sense of humor is more sly and warmer than the American norm, even to America's upper classes. Social aspects are easily seen, family relations, Iranian values and natures too.

There's also the impact of American ways on immigrants; considering we're a national of immigrants, a good insight to see. Overall, the content is good intl, interesting and enjoyable, served up with personality and humor. One thing, Iranians and Americans are very alike. My five stars still apply; just, for more reasons and appreciated content. Enjoy, benefit from your reading it.
One person found this helpful
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Alan Peralta
4.0 out of 5 stars "She had a point… but he had an argument."
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2016
A novel about origins and belonging. A novel about separation, and holding on to the moments that bind us. A novel about conflict: family, romantic and personal. A drama where the inner voice of the characters is at all times in conflict with their interactions; where pride and being right is more important than happiness.
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Nanette Greene
5.0 out of 5 stars A story you won't forget!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2016
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Slow and a little hard to follow in the beginning but still absolutely addicting! I couldn't put it down, great story on finding identity as a child of immigrant parents and the struggle! A must read.
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William C.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2019
Verified Purchase
Really enjoyed this book.
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Ann Shadow
3.0 out of 5 stars Meh
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2014
Verified Purchase
My E-reader says I'm 60% into book. I doubt I will finish. Maybe if I continue and it will pick up.

I stopped at the only really interesting part of the book. The introduction of La La's brother. That might have made the story more interesting if he would have been introduced earlier.

I have no idea why Xerxes hates his father. And, honestly, at this point, I don't care. It wasn't the bird story, b/c he had issues before he knew about it. About half-way through, I stopped caring about why he was angry and thought of him as clinically depressed and that there was really no external reason for his hatred. That may be true in real life but in a book story is unsatisfying.

I did feel smart by knowing how to pronounce Xerxes. But that was from one of the "Dune" books.

I gave the book 3 stars because I will probably not finish and to be fair, it may really pick-up, fun wise.
I suppose, if one were a New Yorker and experienced the Twin Towers coming down as it happened, this book would read better by reminding one of an interesting time in one's life.
4 people found this helpful
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Read It
1.0 out of 5 stars Promising Book Falls Flat
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2010
Verified Purchase
I expected more from a young Iranian-American writer. The style of writing here is difficult to understand, the characters difficult to relate to and the story is not exceptional. There are many other books that speak to the subject of family life, immigration and the Iranian experience much better than this pretentious attempt.
12 people found this helpful
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Rachelle
5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book
Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2017
Verified Purchase
Brave and calculated. The writer is a master of language.
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Elliot Leakey
2.0 out of 5 stars How Did This Person Receive So Many Awards?
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2018
When you get a copy of a book like this, you really want to like it because of the author's sex and ethnicity. You want to see ethnic female writers succeed in the U.S. and join the ranks of the greats, or at least, be considered darn good writers. You really want to. You've read about all the awards and accolades, so you think, well it must be really good, else how could this person get all these awards? One after the other after the other; and you know lots of writers who get no awards. Then you read this book, actually get into it with a full head of grateful and hopeful steam, and what happens? Depression sets in. You can't avoid the elephant in the room. The book is, putting it nicely, not good as you'd hoped, or perhaps, could have been if only X and Y and A and B and M and R and Z happened. If only a real editor actually worked with Porochista. If only someone cared enough to give her good editorial direction. But that did not take place. One wonders what the manuscript was like before published? It now plods and flops. Such a disappointment. So the question now becomes, why did anyone award her anything? Can we guess?
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Asieh
5.0 out of 5 stars My review
Reviewed in Germany on December 27, 2021
Verified Purchase
One of the best books I have ever read on migration and diaspora literature.
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