My Thoughts:
This memoir is not really for middle grades or YA unless the students are captured by memoirs around the human condition of marginalized "others" in rural America, but what will grab these readers is the silliness and humor around the starry eyed naivete of this Middle Eastern, vegetarian, gun-shy urban guy moving to the middle of Trump's America. When so many of my friends were looking for another country to go to when Trump was elected, this author went further in. That is what makes this memoir endearing.
I found this author's hope for the American dream of independent living and sustainability quite charming. It reminded me of my own childhood dreams of being a bush pilot and teacher in rural Alaska. I think how Navied tells the story of living in a remote area of Idaho with his wife and dog, as well as leaving is so honest and unflinchingly gentle.
I appreciated the tone of the pictures and words. Being othered does not have to bring on anger. It just has to bring on awareness and a focus on what we want for our own children, even if that means moving. This was a loving story for his daughter of a parentʻs dream for a hopeful future.
From the Publishers:
Before Navied Mahdavian moved with his wife and dog in November of 2016 from San Francisco to an off-the-grid cabin in rural Idaho, he had never fished, gardened, hiked, hunted, or lived in a snowy place. But there, he could own land, realize his dream of being an artist, and start a family—the Millennial dream. Over the next three years, Mahdavian leaned into the wonders of the natural Idaho landscape and found himself adjusting to and enjoying a slower pace of living. But beyond the boundaries of his six acres, he was confronted with the realities of America’s political shifts and forced to confront the question: Do I belong here?
Mahdavian’s beautifully written and unflinchingly honest graphic memoir charts his growth and struggles as an artist, citizen, and new father. It celebrates his love of place and honors the relationships he makes in rural America, touching on dynamics like culture, environment, and identity in America, and even articulating difficult moments of racism and brutality he found there as a Middle Eastern American. With wit, compassion, and a sense of humor, Mahdavian’s insider perspective offers a unique portrait of one of the most remote and wild areas of the American West.
Mahdavian’s beautifully written and unflinchingly honest graphic memoir charts his growth and struggles as an artist, citizen, and new father. It celebrates his love of place and honors the relationships he makes in rural America, touching on dynamics like culture, environment, and identity in America, and even articulating difficult moments of racism and brutality he found there as a Middle Eastern American. With wit, compassion, and a sense of humor, Mahdavian’s insider perspective offers a unique portrait of one of the most remote and wild areas of the American West.
Publication information:
Author/illustrator: Natvied Mahdavian
Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press (September 12, 2023)
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