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This is a discussion topic for the September 2024 Book of the Month, "Odyssey of High Hopes: A Memoir of Adversity and Triumph by Cyrus A. Ansary

What was your favorite scene in Odyssey of High Hopes: A Memoir of Adversity and Triumph by Cyrus A. Ansary?

When he was living in the YMCA and was so hungry and looking for work. He was spending his money on buses to apply for jobs. How many people would give up at this point? But he persevered and found a job. And he had to wait for the first paycheck for 2 more weeks!

When the writer was on a plane as a Forum delegate on his way to Dallas, an escape hatch opened.
A lot happened before things were normal on that plane.
It was a terrifying yet intriguing scene, because I rarely read about people almost involved in a plane crash.

When the author lied that he was 21 years old to get a job at the American embassy and was told that he was too young for his age. It was so hilarious; the courage he had to even go and seek a job at the embassy was surprising.

My favorite part was him as a boy, waking up early and going to walk around on that wall to practice his speeches. I can only imagine how crazy he must have looked to outsiders. In reality, he was a brilliantly wise and innovative man in the making. Placing him with the backdrop of a poverty stricken country makes it all the more heart-wrenching.

Magdalyne chebet wrote: ↑20 Sep 2024, 01:14 When the author lied that he was 21 years old to get a job at the American embassy and was told that he was too young for his age. It was so hilarious; the courage he had to even go and seek a job at the embassy was surprising.

This was my best. The fact that he had to lie about his age and still get turned down for being too "young"

My favorite scene turned out to be the part of the book where Dr. Ansary was speaking about the assassination attempt on the Shah, and how that played into international relations between Iran and Western nations.

My favourite scene has to be when the author lied that he was 21 years old just to get a job at the American Embassy. Unfortunately, he was told that he was too young for the job. It really cracked me up.

When he was living in the YMCA, looking for work and how he was spending his money on buses to apply for jobs without giving up.

I enjoyed most of the scenes from his childhood growing up because it made me aware of what Persia was like before it became Iran with all its bad connotations. The descriptions of him walking in the morning were beautifully written and I could actually "feel" the weather.

There were a lot of entertaining stories. I think the most dramatic one was the almost plane crash. I loved his teenaged interview for a position at the American embassy with a bunch of older candidates. But the most amusing one was his plane ride with Rose Kennedy, where she said she wanted some cookies to take home with her, so the stewardess took all the other cookies from the other passengers and put them in a paper bag for her.

My favourite scene was when Cyrus came second in the nation in the six-grade finals. Up to that moment he had suffered deprivation and unhappiness and this achievement made him proud and delighted his beloved father. It seemed that life was taking a turn for the better.