THE LIP READER

This autobiographical novel traces a deaf Iranian woman’s life through political and personal turmoil, love, and illness.

Growing up in Tehran in the 1950s, Zhila Shirazi is doubly an outsider: Her family is Jewish, and she is deaf. Any kind of disability is viewed as shameful in her culture, so to pass for normal, Zhila becomes a highly skilled lip reader. Her condition demands constant vigilance, and even then, the world can be a dangerous place. Zhila copes well with her challenges, earning a degree in geology; in 1972, she begins work as a heavy-mineral specialist. The future looks bright—but then Iran’s Islamic Revolution makes it unsafe to be Jewish in the country. Zhila and her family eventually make their way to the United States, though not before the new regime blinds and nearly kills her father. In Los Angeles, Zhila retrains as a certified nursing assistant and endures an abusive, short-lived marriage. At the age of 49, she meets Mickey Daniels, who’s also deaf. They fall in love and marry, but in 2010, Zhila is diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. She dies five years later, leaving Mickey heartbroken. In his book, Thal vividly conjures up a world that doesn’t exist anymore in Iran, one that’s diverse (if antisemitic) and culturally vibrant, with rich career opportunities for women. While the immigrant story of courageously starting over and adapting is familiar, Zhila’s disability adds another dimension. But the tale’s episodic structure doesn’t always advance the plot, including several vacation trips described with tourist-guide details (“The 125-year-old Synagogue de la Victoire mercifully survived the destruction by the Nazis during their occupation. Also called The Grand Synagogue of Paris, its grandeur was evidenced by its classical arches and 2,000-seat capacity”). And, since Mickey is an author stand-in, Zhila’s high praise can sound uncomfortably self-congratulatory: “Mickey’s quiet brilliance always left me awed.”

Despite a few flaws, an absorbing story of resilience in the face of challenges.