Pistachios in My Pocket

by Sareh Farmand

Poet Sareh Farmand was born in Tehran at the start of the Islamic Revolution. In this brave first collection of poems and prose a narrative arc details her family's escape from Iran, detailing their time as immigrants in limbo, and finally, as Landed Immigrants in Canada. Using family anecdotes, memory, public documents, and images to outline her family's story, PISTACHIOS IN MY POCKET moves from the personal to the universal by exploring the influences of migration, political strife, and cultural identity on humanity. Here is a new voice to the conversation on global citizenship and multiculturalism, as themes of loss, home, and belonging are explored in a new way through a wide socio-political lens and personal accounts of a family's unique, yet universal experiences. Ultimately, bringing forward the many ways immigrants are haunted after fleeing for safety and what it means to be Canadian.

Genres: Poetry

140 pages, Paperback

Published October 25, 2022

Reviews

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a beautiful collection of poems that perfectly capture the plight of this family. I love these types of poetry memoirs because there’s so much heart and soul that’s in them, and are always so creative. Highly recommend!

[Marian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across the review of a fellow Goodreads friend, Christy, and added this to my list. This Canadian author has written a beautiful set of poems and reflections on what life is like for a loving family who is forced to leave all that they know behind in Iran, a once thriving and progressive country, to make way for a fundamentalist, far-right regime led by Ayatollah Khomeini - a move, she writes, supported by the west. Fleeing through Berlin, Rome, and settling in Canada, the author beautifully captures the tension of the process and moves towards her family finding belonging. This book prompted me to think more deeply about multiculturalism and I learned about the history of Iran and the complexities of the political influence that continues to uproot people. I believe this book would foster greater understanding and empathy towards many who are displaced and I'm glad I read it.

[Carola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit, I'm not the biggest poetry fan, but I love this collection. The poems are accessible and evoke both pictures in my mind and emotions in my heart. Incredibly timely, they take the reader on a journey in every sense of the word. I highly recommend this book!!

[Christy MacCallum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pistachios in my pocket is a beautiful memoir by Sareh Farmand through poetry. The poems are told from the perspectives of many of her family members as she tells the story of her family and the Iranian revolution, as they are displaced, heartbroken, and end up in Canada. She made me laugh, and she made me uncomfortable. Some poems give a poignant view of the past, while some bring joy and delight as you walk through the roller coaster of memory, the diaspora, and the idea of home & belonging.

[Alysia Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Pistachios in My Pocket” is more than a collection of poetry; it’s a gateway to empathy, understanding, and connection. What makes Farmand’s work profoundly touching is her ability to bring her experiences to life, allowing readers the privilege of vicarious exploration. Her words do more than paint pictures; they evoke feelings, stir memories, and invite reflections on our own lives and the diverse paths we tread. Her narrative isn’t just a story to be observed from afar; it’s an invitation to immerse oneself in the nuanced, complex world of an immigrant, with all its beauty and its struggles.

Adding to the book’s charm are Farmand’s delicate touches that remind me of the joy and power of language and words shared with my own grandmother. These moments in her poetry resonate deeply, as they highlight the universal human experiences of love, memory, and the bonds that tie us across generations and geographies.

[Lynn Crymble · Rating 5 out of 5]

A slender tome, beautifully illustrated, telling the human story of finding one's home. A little girl, two years old, is uprooted from her beautiful life in Iran.

Over forty years in the making, the poems tell the story through the author's deft perspective but also via the voices of grandmothers, parents, cousins, and even through the eyes of a flight attendant witnessing the gut-wrenching scene of a family in an airport. What would it be like to know you will never set foot 'home' again or ever see your family once you get on that plane?

This book is set during the Iranian Revolution, but it is a timeless read. It asks if you had to leave everything behind, what, if anything, can you hold on to? And where do you go from there?

Instructive, eye-opening, brutal and beautiful, at times even joyous, Pistachios in my Pocket is a book that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

'when a targeted act of violence occurs, I appreciate your call,
the care
but this pain belongs to us all
not just my kind
humankind'

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful book, written by Sareh Farmand and illustrated by Nazli Ataeeyeh, is a beautiful, gentle collection of poems describing a family exodus from Iran in the 1970s. This story of displacement told by Farmand is through her eyes as a young child, then a teenager growing up in Canada, and then as a mother. This gently curated book is beautiful, melancholy, and joyous.

Published at a time when the world is watching Iran and praying for the emancipation of her people, this writing has deepened my understanding of the country's past culture, modern and free, crushed by oppression. Pistachios In My Pocket is a flame of hope that keeps the prayer of a free Iran alive.

I Love this book. I Love this writer.

[Dayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pistachios in my Pocket refracts the concept of home through many lenses, building a definition from the ground up. Land, nature, a house, family, friends, relationships, art, animals, food, movements, power structures, spaces, and, of course, migration.

Farmand recounts her intersection with these and more, and how they have informed her life and art. Through a chorus of voices - shifting points of view - Farmand crafts an illuminating personal narrative that embodies the far reach of a single event over time and space. All senses are ignited here, balancing grief and joy with care, in these poems both subtle and brave.

[Nassrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Besides being a poetry book, this is a history book. This book serves as a learning tool about Iranian history and serves to inform on the current situation in Iran. I admire the way the author explains how immigration impacts the different generations of a family- how it impacts each member differently. I recommend this book to every person so that they can better understand the immigrant experience- the triumphs and the beauty as well as the hardships. This is an uplifting story!

[Marnie113 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. Sareh pours her heart onto the page with these beautifully crafted poems. The writing is honest, and the love for her family and connection to her origins shine throughout. I feel as if I know her badass Grandma, Maryam.

[Andrew Donaher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uplifting, entertaining, and informative - the universal story of immigration and success told in a wonderfully entertaining book

[Yasmin Ebrahimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written story in the form of poetry. This book, the words, evoked emotions in me that I didn’t even know existed. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite poetry collection this year so far. It was accesible, easy to understand, and discusses important themes.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful collection! You can hear my thoughts here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDdKU...