Porochista Khakpour’s New Essays Daringly Explore Iranian Immigrant Life
‘The Brown Album’ illustrates the author’s range on islamophobia, racism, and a rising Trump presidency
Porochista Khakpour’s Brown Album, a collection of essays she wrote throughout her twenties and into her forties, takes a scythe through all the different parts of her identity: Refugee. Immigrant. Iranian. American. Californian. New Yorker. Writer. Chronically ill. The novelist came out with her first memoir, Sick, in 2018, detailing her battle with chronic illness, addiction, and the dizzying lengths she went to before receiving a late-stage Lyme disease diagnosis. This time, her essays tackle what it’s like to be caught between cultures. This “in between” space or the hyphenated dagger Khakpour used to identify herself her entire life is where her writing takes root. And with so much of the world on pause this year, the current moment feels like an “in between” space itself. It likely would’ve found its way into the essays or even given the book an entirely different ending.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
ZORA: With so much of the world on pause, how are you feeling right now and how is it affecting your writing life?
