A review by kinseyelise
They Said They Wanted Revolution: A Memoir of My Parents by Neda Toloui-Semnani

3.0

This memoir covered a wide range of the author and her parents’ lives and was a very interesting look into the lives of Iranian Americans before, during, and after the Iranian Revolution (which I don’t know much about). The book covered slices of life all the way to 2021, and seemed very intentionally researched. The author’s parents are both dead, leaving her to rely on other friends and family, as well as historical documents and news sources, for accounts of all that happened. It’s also about her discovering who she is and blending her American and Iranian culture. Toward the end she includes many diary entries and emails between herself and her family, which is a departure from the rest of the book’s construction, but made me feel even more connected to the author and other characters.