Introduction to The Iranican Dream, (Virtualbookworm.com Publishing, December 2004) — a hilarious journey inside the mind of an Iranian-American man whose world is comprised of lavish encounters with bizarre characters in some of the most outlandish circumstances. Baniameri brings to the spotlight a fresh breed of Middle Eastern immigrant in America who inadvertently gets himself in comical situations by constantly plotting to sabotage his ex-wife's relationships, preventing his teenage daughter from dating boys, pestering women to go out with him, and manipulating his best friend to participate in his tedious schemes. Also see Iranican-Dream.com.
I am an Iranican — and you might be an Iranican too.
Iranican is an Iranian-American immigrant who is neither Iranian nor American–a person who has not been able to come to terms with either culture. Iranican is a person who's standing at the sideline in complete cultural disarray, watching life go by in a hurry.
The Iranican Dream is a humorous account of an Iranian-American man in post 9/11 America who is emotionally unavailable, politically incorrect, ethically challenged, spiritually bankrupt, sexually lethargic and financially dispossessed.
The Iranican Dream shows the world from the perspective of a not-so-conventional Iranian man in America.
The Iranican Dream is not self-gratifying and you'll not find anything cute in it, like traveling to Disneyland with family members, childhood memories of grandma's house in North Tehran or fighting over Ghormesabzi with siblings at the dinner table. That's not my style.
The book will not give an impression of righteousness or prominence or add any enormity to Iranian heritage. I'm incapable of giving my readers conceited cultural or political blowjobs.
The Iranican Dream is about the love of family, pimps and hookers, colorful friends and relatives, unconditional friendship, lesbians and transvestites, paranoia, strong opinions on sensitive subjects and everything in between that make our Persian-ness blush. I wouldn't be true to my readers if I did it any other way.
I hope you enjoy the book and I hope it gives you some of the best belly laughs you have had in years — and I hope you recommend it to others.
Love and respect,
Siamack Baniameri