A Beginner's Guide to America

November 9, 2020
Journalist and poet Hakakian (Assassins of the Turquoise Palace) offers a poignant and richly observed account of the immigrant’s experience of America. Drawing on recollections of her own journey from Iran to the U.S. in 1984, Hakakian describes customs officials indifferently sorting through luggage (“this is how America welcomes everyone: by preparing them for anonymity”); notes the strange sight of “full-bellied pet dogs, not banned by any edicts, cockily walking at the side of their owners”; and advises new arrivals that soap operas are better for learning English than news programs. Once the immigrant has established herself, Hakakian writes, she will enter the “tribe of Nowhereians,” disowned by her countrymen and viewed as “from elsewhere” by Americans. But even today, she contends, when shifting demographics have sparked an anti-immigrant backlash, naturalized citizens have a greater chance of success than some who are native-born and “do not have a tale to tell themselves other than one of failure, betrayal, and hopelessness.” Hakakian’s portrait largely excludes those forced to enter the country illegally, or unable to find adequate means of support, but she captures the immigrant’s twinned sense of hope and loss with lyrical precision. Readers will salute this astute and sincere look at what it means to “be remade” on American soil.

December 15, 2020
The Iranian American poet, journalist, and immigrant offers a cleareyed introduction to America. Hakakian, a Guggenheim fellow who has worked with the Council on Foreign Relations, the Wilson Center for International Scholars, and other organizations, delivers a book that serves as both a primer for immigrants and a knowledgeable alternative viewpoint on a fractured nation. The narrative is pleasingly intimate, as well, with the author speaking directly to "you," not only exploring her own experiences, but also using the exercise to emphasize the shared anxiety faced by any stranger in a strange land. She breaks the book into two equally useful and thoughtful halves, the first of which tackles the hurdles of arrival in the U.S. From tense moments at customs and immigration to the overwhelming nature of shopping in the land of plenty to the woes of public transportation, Hakakian somehow manages to make the drudgeries of entry into a new culture both fascinating and frightening. In the second half, the author takes a more introspective approach and adds useful cultural and historical context to the experiences of immigrants when they arrive in America. This part opens with a long series of "lessons," starting with love and sex and including segments on "The Vices and Virtue of an American Lover" and "Your First American Romance: A Few Warnings." Equally reflective is the following series of essays on the diaspora and the disconnect between how things worked in your home country and how things work in the U.S. This is heavy stuff, not least Hakakian's breakdown of the love-hate relationship between immigrants and their chosen country as well as a peek behind the curtain at "Anti-American Vitriol." The author maintains a smooth narrative pace punctuated by intriguing anecdotes about everything from the first Persian to meet an American president to the biography of American asparagus. An enlightening reminder about human rights and civic responsibility, all too relevant in a troubled time.

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January 1, 2021

Informed by her experience as an Iranian refugee, poet, and journalist, Hakakian (Journey from the Land No) describes the ongoing challenges and revelations that immigrants face in the United States. From learning English in ESL classes to the anxiety of finding work and dealing with potentially unhelpful job counselors, new Americans confront many practical struggles--and may also find that the process of immigrating itself can stress family bonds. Hakakian writes for her past self, and for refugees and immigrants adjusting to American culture, struggling to find solid responses to, "Where are you from?" as well as "Where are you really from?" She also warns that the United States will often disappoint, as Americans have a long history of demonizing immigration and U.S. foreign policy often supports dictators in other countries, including her homeland. Notably, she takes care to remind new Americans about the country's ongoing strain of individualism, and how family and community aren't always first and foremost. VERDICT Although narrated as advice for incoming immigrants, this personal, yet practical account is intended to challenge misconceptions and biases that native-born U.S. citizens have toward documented and undocumented immigrants. It is highly recommended for all.--Chris Wilkes, Tazewell Cty. P.L., VA

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