Shamshone: Sun of Assyria: Five Generations of a Family from Iranian Azerbaijan Paperback – May 15, 2017

I enjoyed reading the book, since I know the environment author grew and know and met the whole family.Thanks

This is a fascinating story. It could have used a proofreader, but that doesn't detract from the amazing story of an Iranian Christian man and his family. It is humorous and inspirational.

Brian Appleton's "Shamshone: Sun of Assyria" is a moving and well-told memoir of the life of Shamshone ("Sam") Sarmecanic, an Assyrian who braved difficult conditions in his native Iranian West Azerbaijan as a child and further tribulations in Iran (including during the Iranian Revolution of 1979) and elsewhere before immigrating to the United States. It is a fascinating account and in many ways is the story of every immigrant who experienced economic and political difficulties in their native lands before finding a new and successful life in the United States. It is a shining example of the importance of hard work, perseverance, and family solidarity. The book's color photographs are a welcome addition to this moving story. Messrs. Appleton and Sarmecanic have not only collaborated on this very interesting book, but have performed a public service in bringing to light the culture and traditions of Assyrians everywhere, especially Assyrian Christians, and by reminding us that we all share a common humanity.

I have read many biographies. If anything, the autor tried too hard to keep the narrator as focus. This is a great family story. I have taught several graduate level cultural understanding narratives, and really this is one of the better ones. I understood the Middle East like I have never before. After reading the book, I wanted to meet Samshone. I respected him and wanted to know more--isn't that what ever author wants? The reader to ask what happened next?

I'm halfway through Shamshone and I'm finding it to be down-to-earth, yet fascinating. The intermingling of historical references with the narrative of the day-to-day life of the young Shamshone is what make the book fascinating to me. There's a lot of history and it's presented in a conversational style rather than a didactic or academic lecture style. This book makes me feel like I'm there. I look forward to reading Tales From The Zirzameen.

This book.is a nostalgic account of life in Iran from several decades before the Islamic Revolution through present day. All characters, places, and events are real. Regardless of whether you are Iranian, Assyrian, or American, you would enjoy reading this book. The story is touching and inspiring and it flows beautifully.I highly recommend this book especially to all Assyrians and Iranians.

I always enjoy reading about the Middle East, whether fiction or nonfiction. This was an interesting memoir of an Iranian Christian family living in Azerbaijan. This is the land of the Assyrians, a people most think no longer exist. After all, the Assyrian Empire was absorbed into the empire ruled by Cyrus the Great back in 546BC.The author tells the story of his friend Sam (Shamshone), born in 1938. Growing up in a rural village, Sam has two older brothers. There were the hard times, such as living under Soviet occupation and living through the Iranian Revolution. They survived the genocide of World War I. (It turns out the Armenians were not the only ones who faced genocide in that time period.) Sam later goes on to study engineering at Tehran University in the 50s. Sam eventually attended another engineering school in London.The every day life of the family was described in vivid detail. I could visualize the preparation of the tea and the samovar. In this culture, tea must always be available for guests who may stop in unexpectedly. Then there was the wine-making – how they harvested the grapes and then stomped them with their bare feet. (Okay, I admit I had flashbacks to the “I Love Lucy” episode.)Wonderful historical photos are scattered throughout the book. In the back are some lovely color photos.I was really surprised when I read one of the old Mesopotamian prayers. This was a prayer in appreciation of the months of the year. What I found surprising was how many of the months listed were the same in the Jewish calendar – Nisan, Iyyar, Tammuz, Ab, Illul, Teshri, Shebat, and Adar.There were moments when Sam encountered culture shock. At one point he decided to surprise his future wife Linda with an unannounced visit at her parents’ home. Much to his surprise, he finds that Linda has told his parents nothing about him. Now in his culture, the men are “raised to think that men were like gods whom women should worship”.I loved Sam and Linda’s devoted maid. I got a good laugh at the descriptions of her devotion.This is an amazing family story. Reading it was like being a part of Sam’s family. This is a piece of Assyrian history preserved.

a humble beginning of a person in north west iran with successfully and triumphant ending.