Booksmith is thrilled to welcome back Porochista Khakpour to celebrate her new book, Tehrangeles. She will be joined in conversation by fellow author Shanthi Sekaran - please join us and RSVP below! Once advanced sales end, you can grab a spot at the door.

About the book

Meet the Milanis: fast-food heiresses, L.A. royalty, and your newest reality TV obsession. Iranian-American multimillionaires Ali and Homa Milani have it all—a McMansion in the hills of Los Angeles, a microwaveable snack empire, and four spirited daughters. There’s Violet, the big-hearted aspiring model; Roxanna, the chaotic influencer; Mina, the chronically-online overachiever; and the impressionable health fanatic Haylee. On the verge of landing their own reality TV show, the Milanis realize their deepest secrets are about to be dragged out into the open before the cameras even roll.

Each of the Milanis—even their aloof Persian cat Pari—has something to hide, but the looming scrutiny of fame also threatens to bring the family closer than ever. Dramatic, biting yet full of heart, Tehrangeles is a tragicomic saga about high-functioning family dysfunction and the ever-present struggle to accept one's true self.

Advance praise for Tehrangeles

“Like Little Women on an ayahuasca trip, Tehrangeles is delightfully twisted and heartfelt. If you set a TikTok mukbang at a Crazy Rich Persian wedding, you’d still have a long way to go to capture the extravagant eccentricities of the Milani sisters. Khakpour is a satirist extraordinaire who astutely captures the zeitgeist of a culture and a place where ‘reality’ is just something you livestream and truth is a billion times stranger than fiction. The antics and agonies of the Milani family had me googling pet psychics and turning the pages gleefully—at turns surprised and horrified, but always charmed and laughing so hard.”

—Kevin Kwan, author of Lies and Weddings

“[A] biting, clever tragicomic…Think: Reality TV, Los Angeles McMansions, and a fast food empire.”

—Nylon

“Khakpour excels at the double edged coin of humor and tragedy.”

—Lit Hub

About the author

Porochista Khakpour was born in Tehran and raised in the Greater Los Angeles area. She is the critically acclaimed author of two novels, a memoir, and a collection of essays. She lives in New York City with her beloved partner and her elderly blue poodle Cosmo. Author photo by Bing Guan.

Please note:

• Masks are not required, but can be provided upon request.
• Check-in begins at 6:45. Unclaimed seats are given up beginning at 7:10.
• There will be a 30 minute post-show signing as time allows. Books will be for sale on the night of the event, but you can also purchase additional copies straight from our website.
• Questions? Accessibility requests? Write to us at [email protected].