Nadine Bjursten Biography, Books, and Similar Authors

Interview

Nadine Bjursten discusses her first novel, Half a Cup of Sand and Sky

What inspired you to write Half a Cup of Sand and Sky? Why Iran?
Looking back, I think I was always going to write this novel. I grew up with Persian poets Hafiz, Sa'di, and Rumi and am drawn to subtle Iranian concepts such as ta'ārof and letafat, which underscore caring for the person in front of you, whether you are just meeting or cooking a meal. The Iranians in my life seemed to take that way of living and being to heart. That's why later when I was managing editor of the foreign policy journal Arms Control Today during the presidency of George W. Bush, I found it jarring when Iran was labeled a member of the axis of evil. There is little nuance in the word evil, and it rarely stays with the leaders who commit the crimes. Instead, it sweeps over its citizens, religion, culture, and history. When I went to the bookstore to read some contemporary fiction based in the country, I found books depicting Iranians as backward, religious extremists. So, this single story was not just in the news. It was in the novels being read, and soon I found it popping up in conversations with friends and colleagues. A single story cements our perception of the other. It is devastating, not just because it makes the step to war so much ...