Book Launch / Pistachios in my Pocket by Sareh Farmand

Join us for the launch of Sareh Farmand’s new collection of poetry Pistachios in my Pocket.

On Thursday, December 1 at 6pm, join Massy Arts Society, Massy Books and At Bay Press to celebrate the launch of Sareh Farmand’s new collection of poetry, Pistachios in my Pocket.

Born in Tehran at the start of the Islamic Revolution, Farmand’s collection of poems and prose details her family’s escape from Iran, their time in limbo and experience as first wave Iranians immigrants to Canada.

This project has been made possible by the Government of Canada. Ce projet a été rendu possible grâce au gouvernement du Canada.

Purchase Pistachios in my Pocket at Massy Books.

Venue & Accessibility

The event will be hosted at the Massy Arts Gallery, at 23 East Pender Street in Chinatown, Vancouver.

Registration is free, open to all and required for entrance. The gallery is wheelchair accessible and a gender-neutral washroom is on-site. Please view our Accessibility page for parking, seating, venue measurements and floor plan, and how to request ASL interpretation.

Covid Protocols: Masks keep our community safe and are mandatory (N95 masks are recommended as they offer the best protection). We ask if you are showing symptoms, that you stay home. Thank you kindly.

The Book

Pistachios in my Pocket follows a narrative arch that tells the story of her family’s escape from Iran and their experiences as first wave Iranians immigrants to Canada. Sareh Farmand was born in Tehran, Iran at the start of the Islamic Revolution, and grew up in Vancouver, BC. Her first book of poems, Sareh holds degrees in International Relations and Education from UBC and is a 2018 graduate of SFU’s The Writing Studio. She lives in Vancouver, BC– the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl ̓ ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

The Author

Sareh Farmand was born in Tehran, Iran at the start of the Islamic Revolution, and grew up in Vancouver, BC. Her first book of poems, Pistachios in my Pocket, follows a narrative arch that tells the story of her family’s escape from Iran and their experiences as first wave Iranians immigrants to Canada. Sareh holds degrees in International Relations and Education from UBC and is a 2018 graduate of SFU’s The Writing Studio. She lives in Vancouver, BC– the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl ̓ ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

With Guest Reader

Nazli Ataeeyeh is an Iranian-Canadian visual storyteller, illustrator, and art educator. She was born during the Iran-Iraq War and lived through the oppression of the Islamic dictatorship. Her love for art and children blossomed while volunteering at orphanages in Iran. Nazli continued her passion for art into University where she completed her Masters of Fine Arts in 2011. After the violent suppression of the youth during the Green Revolution in Iran she decided to immigrate to Canada, landing in Toronto in 2013. She now lives in Vancouver with her life partner and her rainbow baby, Elio. She teaches art and illustrates books in between baby naps and diaper changes. Nazli’s illustrations appear in Sarah Farmand’s debut book of poetry, Pistachios in My Pocket.

Hosted by

Jónína Kirton is a Red River Métis/Icelandic poet, author, facilitator and manuscript consultant. A graduate of the Simon Fraser University’s Writer’s Studio she received the 2016 Vancouver’s Mayor’s Arts Award for an Emerging Artist in the Literary Arts category. Her first collection of poetry, page as bone ~ ink as blood, was published in 2015 with Talonbooks. Her second book, An Honest Woman, again with Talonbooks, was a finalist in the 2017 Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize. Her interest in the stories of her Métis and Icelandic ancestors is the common thread throughout much of her writing.

Donating to Massy Arts Society

Have you noticed our by donation ticket option? Massy Arts Society is primarily funded by Massy Books, an Indigenous woman-owned and operated bookstore on the unceded territories of XwMuthkwium (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We are now providing the option for folks to contribute to keeping our events accessible and doors open. All proceeds from your donation will go towards operation costs of our community hub while we focus on supporting the practices of Indigenous and over-excluded artists. Consider donating when you register for your next event.