Take What You Can Carry Audiobook By Gian Sardar cover art

Take What You Can Carry

A Novel

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Take What You Can Carry

By: Gian Sardar
Narrated by: Vaneh Assadourian
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An aspiring photographer follows her dreams and faces her fears in a poignant novel about finding beauty, promise, and love amid the chaos of war-torn Kurdistan.

It’s 1979. Olivia Murray, a secretary at a Los Angeles newspaper, is determined to become a photojournalist and make a difference with her work. When opportunity arrives, she seizes it, accompanying her Kurdish boyfriend, Delan, to northern Iraq for a family wedding, hoping to capture an image that lands her a job in the photo department. More important, though, the trip is a chance to understand Delan’s childhood and bridge the differences of their pasts. Yet when the return home proves less safe than Delan believed, Olivia is confronted with a reality she had not expected. She is awakened to the dangers of a town patrolled by Iraqi military and under curfew and constant threat.

But in this world torn apart by war, there are intoxicating sights and scents, Delan’s loving family, innocence not yet compromised, and small acts of kindness that flourish unexpectedly. All of it will be tested when Olivia captures a shattering, tragic moment on film, one that upends all their lives and proves that true bravery begins with an open heart.

©2021 Gian Schwehr (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Coming of Age Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction Middle East Heartfelt Romance
Engaging Characters • Cultural Insights • Emotional Storytelling • Historical Perspective • Meaningful Details
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A wonderful revelation of character and event in a country and people under constant attack. Living under persecution, always being watched, always compromised, yet still loving and forgiving. Described by an innocent who learns, sees.
This book reveals a world we can’t know.

Glimpses of love and endurance

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This is a great book. Rich with geography, history and culture of Kurdistan; engaging, complex characters; a touching romance; compelling tension; intense fear; lasting love and hope.

I rarely reread books (too many books, too little time!!!) but I plan to reread this one. About halfway through the book, I noticed that the author was very intentional; nearly every character, scene and conversation had significance. A detail as seemingly minor as watching a flock of birds became meaningful later in the book. I want to go back and pick up on those details. My first read was on Audible; next time will be on Kindle.

An outstanding book

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What an astonishing read!! I loved the way this book flowed through the story. Well developed characters whom I was able to connect with. Well written book. I found that I enjoyed listening and experiencing going through the thoughts and decisions of the main character, was intriguing. This is a story that makes you feel it with all of its tugs on your heart in good and sad ways. I will read more by this author and recommend this book.

Incredible

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This is a beautiful story of love, loss, tragedy, fear and hope. Well written to keep you involved until the end. Excellent performance as well.

Beautifully written

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I don’t often write reviews but this listen was one of the best I’ve heard! I would highly recommend this book! The performance was flawless!

Riveting

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I enjoyed this book from start to finish. Did not want it to end. Great read

Great book

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I had the option of reading this on my Kindle or listening. I really disliked the narrator - her tone of voice, her accent, and her way of reading were all jarring and distracting to me. I often really appreciate a narrator with an accent that matches the characters and settings, but in this case, she's narrating an American woman, and it wasn't a good fit. It is a wonderful book, though, with a gripping story line and really well-developed characters. I highly recommend reading it.

read, don't listen

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This story was a delight to listen to, although there were some tragic moments.

Very moving story

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The storyline seemed incomplete and disjointed. Great story that could have been expounded on more.

Take what you can carry

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Suggest the reader push through the struggle of relationship to come to the understanding that life without entitled comfort helps us to appreciate every moment of life/love to its fullest measure.

Hardship Makes Us Better

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