His mother marries a man named Ray (Rahim), who beats her badly enough to send her to the hospital. They settle in Oklahoma, and Khosrou becomes Daniel to his classmates. From Dubai, the family is sent to a refugee camp in Italy until finally gaining sponsors to come to the United States.

But when his mother becomes a Christian (something which meant a death sentence in Iran), she leaves her husband behind and flees to Dubai with Khosrou and his older sister. Born into a family so wealthy his grandfather's grandfather was called a king, young Khosrou lived a privileged life in Iran. There's a very graphic and bloody description of a bull being slaughtered and a scene where a woman is beaten by her husband as her children watch.ĮVERYTHING SAD IS UNTRUE is a patchwork of stories (some true), myths, and fables, told by 12-year-old Khosrou 'Daniel' Nayeri. Episodes of violence sometimes appear in Daniel's stories and some may be disturbing to readers. But that perception slowly changes as he becomes a seventh grade Scheherazade, sharing with them tales of Persian kings, khans, and princesses and true (mostly) stories of his life in Iran and in a refugee camp in Italy. Finally settling with his family in Edmond, Oklahoma, Khosrou changes his name to Daniel and struggles to find acceptance from classmates who see him only as a poor refugee who often smells of pickles and garlic. Young Khosrou Nayeri's very privileged life in Iran comes to a terrifying end as he, his mother, and his sister flee the country one step ahead of the secret police. Ptintz Award for young adullt literature. Parents need to know that Daniel Nayeri's Everything Sad Is Untrue: (A True story) is a 'memoir' told through a captivating mix of fiction and nonfiction.

Everything sad is untrue book summary