44 Results in the "Non-Fiction" category
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Story
Martyr!: A novel
Martyr! by Ryan J. Lee follows Aaron, a young man driven by religious zeal and a desire for martyrdom, as his intense beliefs lead him to radical choices that strain his relationships. The novel explores themes of faith, identity, and the cost of extreme devotion.-
4.3 K • Jan 23, '25
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2.2 K • Jan 23, '25
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4.0 K • Jan 23, '25
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Roya and Arash Shirazi
Roya and Arash Shirazi’s relationship in 1973 Tehran serves as a poignant depiction of the emotional and psychological toll that familial dynamics, shame, and societal expectations can have on a young child. Roya, at just ten years old, is confronted with the humiliation of bedwetting, an issue that she desperately tries to hide. Her attempts to manage this problem—by limiting her water intake and avoiding meals—fail, as the smell clings to her, and her brother Arash ridicules her for it. This…-
222.6 K • Ongoing
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[I am setting…]
I am setting out on an ambitious and deeply personal literary journey, one that challenges me to write elegies for individuals I have never met. This endeavor feels audacious, as I am tasked with capturing the essence of lives I cannot truly know or experience firsthand. The project itself is marked by a certain level of humility and hubris, as I wrestle with the paradox of trying to honor people whose experiences and stories are unknown to me. Through this process, I confront the complexities of writing…-
222.6 K • Ongoing
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Zee Novak
Zee Novak reflects on the early spring of 2014, when he and Cyrus Shams were sharing a modest apartment in Indiana, just a year removed from their graduation. During this time, their relationship was defined by casual dating, excessive drinking, and routine activities that, despite their chaotic nature, brought a sense of stability. However, Cyrus eventually decided to make a drastic change by embracing sobriety, marking the beginning of a shift in their shared experiences. One such shift involved their…-
222.6 K • Ongoing
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Friday
Friday opens with a reflective Cyrus Shams engaged in an intimate conversation with Orkideh at the Brooklyn Museum. Orkideh, a terminally ill artist, shares her experience while exhibiting her artwork, as she faces the inevitability of death. Cyrus, who is deeply unsettled by thoughts of his own mortality, admits to a dark and distressing thought, hinting that he might "kill himself soon." However, he is immediately troubled by the phrase, as it sounds both mechanical and empty. He expresses a deep longing…-
222.6 K • Ongoing
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Friday
Friday begins with Cyrus Shams, who, as he walks from the Brooklyn Museum to Prospect Park, reflects deeply on his life and recent conversation with Orkideh about martyrdom. Her words about the complex notion of martyrdom linger in his mind, causing him to question the core differences between the intense desires to live and to die. His reflection on life, its meaning, and the inevitability of death takes an unexpected turn as he finds symbolism in the simple, everyday acts of life, such as tying his…-
222.6 K • Ongoing
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Arash Shirazi
Arash Shirazi finds himself confronting the harsh realities of war in February 1984, as he grapples with the inevitability of his conscription into the Iranian military. Caught in the turmoil of the ongoing revolution, he considers his role as a "zero soldier," someone without the power or means to avoid the draft. His life is shaped by the revolution’s shift from an idealistic struggle to one driven by zealotry and violence. Arash reflects on the inevitable fate of countless others like him, imagining…-
222.6 K • Ongoing
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Ali Shams
Ali Shams reflects deeply on his daily life working at a chicken breeding farm in Fort Wayne, a place that functions less like a traditional farm and more like a high-efficiency laboratory. The farm is designed to produce chickens that grow as quickly and efficiently as possible, with the primary objective being to convert grains into protein. The unnatural environment is evident in the process, where chickens are bred to survive without immune systems and are kept in completely controlled settings, free…-
222.6 K • Ongoing
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[Gilles Deleuze called…]
Gilles Deleuze called elegy "la grande plainte," which translates to "the great complaint," symbolizing the profound sorrow that is often felt in the face of overwhelming loss or societal wrongs. This concept of deep grief has a particular relevance in Iranian culture, especially during the observance of Ashura. The day marks the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, who died in 680 CE during the Battle of Karbala, and has since become an emblem of sacrifice and defiance. His death, at the age of fifty-five, remains…-
222.6 K • Ongoing
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Cyrus Shams
Cyrus Shams, standing at a crossroads of identity and self-doubt, navigates the weight of his Iranian heritage against the backdrop of an American existence that often feels unwelcoming. The summer storm raging outside Keady University in June 2012 mirrors the turmoil within him, a tempest of frustration, alienation, and an unshakable awareness of being othered. To Cyrus, storms are not mere meteorological occurrences but personal affronts, physical manifestations of a world that refuses to accept him…-
222.6 K • Ongoing
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