Marjaneh Bakhtiari Sweden
Marjaneh Bakhtiari was born 1980 and lives in Malmö, Sweden. She has studied social anthropology and journalism. Kalla det vad fan du vil (Call It What the Hell You Like), published by Ordfront, is her first book, an immediate bestseller in Sweden.
Kalla det vad fan du vil portrays an Iranian family's joys and difficulties of settling in a new and foreign country. It is an extremely entertaining account about their attempts to create a new life in a mostly friendly, but at times also an unsympathetic Sweden.
Rights sold:
Norway: Damm & Son
Denmark: Ries Forlag
Finland: Otava
Serbia: Adresa
Extracts from reviews:
”There is freshness and revolt in language, though and view on society that won’t be found anywhere else but in literature, and Swedish literature has got its own ”Zadie Smith” with Marjaneh Bakhtiari .” (Weekendavisen)
”Bakhtiari’s book is breath of fresh air that questions any prejudice. Call it what the hell you like...” (Nya Wermlands-Tidningen)
”Here is no linguistic hierachy. Her mixture of everyday Malmö-dialect, broken English, Jamaican slang, Persian poetry and gangsta rap adds to the cross-referencing that historically has been all cultures’ beginning and growth. She writes dialogues with a feverish energy. It is often incrediblyfunny. ... It is almost like eaves dropping and that is one of most entertaining past times. Call it what the hell you like, but it is brilliant.” (Borås Tidning)
”You really feel as if you are part of it. And you will find it hysterically funny at the same time. Marjaneh Bakhtiari has written a rare and fresh account of present day Malmö. We would like some more of those.” (Kristianstadsbladet)
”Kalla det vad fan du vill is obvious reading for everybody this summer ... Or for those whojust want a good laugh while basking in the sun.” (Proletären)