Anita Amirrezvani
Amirrezvani, an Iranian-American, tells the story of a young girl growing up in 17th century Persia. Her life is thrown into turmoil when her father dies suddenly and she is left without a dowry, shrinking her prospects for a marriage. The unnamed girl and her mother move to Isfahan, where a distant relative offers to support them. Life is not easy, as the girl and her mother are treated more like servants than family. The young girl finds solace in helping her uncle in his carpet business and eventually decides that she can make her own life by creating a beautiful carpet.