On Two Feet and Wings

Kazerooni, Abbas. On Two Feet and Wings. 2014. 256p. ISBN 9781477820377. Available at 955.05 on the library shelves.

It is the mid 1980s, and Iran and Iraq are fighting a bloody war. Suffering heavy losses and international condemnation despite having been attacked by Iraq, Iran resorts to conscripting tens of thousands of boys to serve at the front in what Western journalists referred to as human waves. Similar to soldiers during the First World War, these waves are mowed down by machine gun and artillery.

Abbas is nine years old, and enjoys playing soccer with his friends. His family was very rich under the Shah, but since the Islamic Revolution, times have been hard. Their mansion is mostly empty, as furniture and artwork have been sold to keep the family afloat. When Iran begin recruiting twelve-year-old boys, Abbas’ father and mother decide it is time to leave. But as a supposed enemy of the regime for his previous support of the Shah, Abbas’ father is not allowed to leave Iran. Abbas will travel with his mother to Turkey, and hope to secure a visa to the United Kingdom to live with Abbas’ uncle.

Pretending to be sick, Abbas stays home for more than a week as the family sells its last possessions. At the airport, Abbas’ mother is not allowed to board the plane, but Abbas can, so his father tells him to travel and makes arrangements with a friend to pick up Abbas.

Unfortunately the friend shows up, gives Abbas some instructions, and leaves him alone in Turkey, without much knowledge of the country or even of the language. What follows is remarkable. Through the goodness of people’s hearts, Abbas is rescued from his situation. A kind-hearted taxi driver helps him find a cheap hotel. Abbas is inventive and driven, and he manages to persuade the hotel owner to begin several endeavors that generate income for Abbas and for the hotel. He also finds employment running parcels for a jeweler in the marketplace. Through it all, Abbas spends time at the British Consulate, hoping that his mother will be able to join him as he attempts to secure a visa and finally get out of Turkey.

A powerful memoir, Abbas’ story describes his hopes and fears about being separated from his family and his desire to impress his father and be a success himself. Fans of The Red Umbrella and of A Night Divided will appreciate Abbas’ ingenuity and adaptation in the face of overwhelming circumstances.