Iranian Tango, Canadian Waltz

Cultural digging and eventual enlightenment are at the heart of this novella, 'Iranian Tango, Canadian Waltz,' the first written by Persian-Canadian, Behrouz Mostaghaci. It burrows into heavy tragedy, while finding golden nuggets of comedy buried even further underground. From the bazaars and alleyways of Esfahan and Tehran in Iran to the working class industrial streets of England to the squeaky clean veneer of Canadian living, the family and its members attempt to understand the places in which they live and the mysterious behaviour of foreigners all around them. Enduring racism, ignorance, confusion, and the slow death of the matriarch, the family unit attempts to maintain some semblance of healthy dynamic while keeping their heads barely above water. Cultural and family catharsis is the final reward for the protagonist of the novella and perhaps the reader himself after the final page is read.