A Fall Afternoon in the Park

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A glimpse into the challenges and joys of immigrants and refugees' lived experiences in the diaspora. Mehri Yalfani's new collection consists of nineteen short stories, primarily from Iranian women's perspectives set in Iran and Canada. In the story "Rainy Day," a little girl longs for a doll with golden hair; in "Adopted Child," a successful business professional delays having a baby but then discovers a secret; in "Armchair ...migré," siblings struggle to settle their parents' estate; an educated woman finds herself cleaning the home of a wealthy, illiterate woman to pay the bills in the story "Adam," and, in the title story, a family is divided (literally) when the mother loses her job and they must make difficult decisions for their future. These varied, compelling snapshots of family, friendship, culture, tradition, discrimination, class issues, and struggle offer a glimpse into the challenges and joys of immigrants and refugees' lived experiences in the Canadian diaspora. Fiction. Middle Eastern Studies. Women's Studies.