House of sand and fog novel summary8/10/2023 Up next an uplifting book about a cop chasing a serial killer.Seriously. Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER Read more Actually even further back, as this story likely takes place in the early 90s - the only clue to the era that I could find was that Behrani's 14 year-old son had been a babe in arms when he and his family fled Tehran at the time of the revolution, which was in 1979.This was a fascinating, absorbing and absolutely compelling read, much deserving of its great success. We know rich opportunity when we see it." Yeah, that "immigrant thing" - twenty years ago. And it is no longer to me a surprise that it is the recent immigrants who excel in this land, the Orientals, the Greeks, and yes, the Persians. the face of Americans, the eyes that never appear satisfied, at peace with their work, or the day God has given them these people have the eyes of very small children who are forever looking for their next source of distraction, entertainment, or a sweet taste in the mouth. But here's a sample of HOUSE's continuing relevance, in a comment by Iranian, Colonel Behrani, about -". Indeed, phone calls are often made from phone booths or public telephones. And, even twenty years later, the story remains surprisingly relevant, although there is no mention of cell phones or the internet. Dubus is simply a master storyteller who knows how to ratchet up the suspense and demonstrates an uncanny knowledge of human nature, creating characters that are so real they could be living next door. The book has already garnered several hundred reviews at Amazon alone. There are no absolute villains or heroes here, only people caught up in an unfortunate and tragic web of circumstances, fed by confusion, passion and greed.But enough about the plot. In the course of the narrative, which shifts from first-persons by both Kathy and Behrani, or an omniscient voice for Lester's portions, the reader gradually learns the history of all three characters, and watches with fascination and horror as things go from bad to worse, building to a climax that will leave you gasping and shaken. A tempestuous, ill-advised affair ensues, as Lester tries to help her get her house back. Kathy is evicted from her home by a Deputy Sheriff, Lester Burdon, who, though married with two children, falls in love with Kathy. Due to a clerical error re unpaid taxes, her house is seized by the county and auctioned for a very low price to one Massoud Behrani, a former Colonel in the Iranian Air Force who'd been forced to flee Iran at the time of the revolution there. She cleans houses to make ends meet and lives in a small house (the one of the title, inherited from her father) in a coastal village near San Francisco. Kathy Lazaro is a thirty-six year old woman who is a recovering drug addict and alcoholic, recently abandoned by her husband. I mean, WoW! This is simply one helluva good read.The plot centers around three people. It's a story that begins slowly but quickly picks up momentum and then grabs you by the scruff of the neck and keeps you turning pages deep into the night because you simply HAVE to knw what happens next. The flowers.HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG, by Andre Dubus III, was a blockbuster bestseller nearly 20 years ago, and now that I've finally gotten around to reading it, I can see why. Since, in less than two hours, their daughter will return from her honeymoon, Behrani and Nadi stop at a florists. Upon his wife's return, he thinks her beautiful but too thin. He had noticed the difference within a week of arriving: perhaps it was the continual TV watching that gave Americans the scurrying eyes of small children looking for their next amusement (it is obvious, he thinks, why American success stories are immigrant stories). Because of his appearance, he waits outside and observes the passersby, thinking Americans don't deserve what they have-how, additionally, before coming here, he'd expected to see the same "caliber" of people he dealt with in Tehran, disciplined ladies and gentlemen. Saturday, after dressing in his old work clothes and trimming the hedges, Behrani drives Nadi to San Francisco to get her hair done.
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