Get ready, because Christine's Book Club just dropped its January gem: "A Hundred Other Girls" by Iman Hariri-Kia! Christine Lee chatted with Iman about this vibrant, hilarious, thought-provoking read. The story follows Noora — a newbie writer and first generation Iranian-American — diving into the whirlwind media world at Vinyl magazine where she's the assistant to the iconic yet tough-as-nails editor-in-chief, Loretta James.
If Loretta James gives you déjà vu vibes (hello, Miranda Priestly!), well, you're on point. "A Hundred Other Girls" winks at "The Devil Wears Prada," a total favorite for Iman. But here’s the twist—Iman’s shining a light on diverse voices in the publishing world. In her book, Iman hits the immigrant experience head-on. She tackles post-9/11 Islamophobia, shares Middle Eastern joy and life's quirks while breaking stereotypes. With wit and charm, she unravels cultural layers and the subtle micro-aggressions hidden in racism and sexism.
Iman's got her fingers crossed for the novel's streaming debut as the project is currently in development (Meryl Streep for the Loretta James role? lol). As for who'd play Noora in the series, she's got some dream picks but isn't spilling the beans just yet. She's even got a folder on her phone where she stashes fan suggestions for the perfect Iranian-American actress in her early twenties to rock that role. Slide into her Instagram DMs if you've got someone in mind!
So what's on Iman's current reading list? Well, she's delving into a myriad of novels, including Dolly Alderton’s "Good Material," a tale exploring both sides of a breakup with surprising humor. Additionally, Iman's engrossed in the enchanting trilogy "Once Upon A Broken Heart" by Stephanie Garber, and the thrilling "Divine Rivals" series by Rebecca Ross. But that's not all—she's eagerly digging into Chloe Walsh's "The Boys of Tommen" series, currenltly captivating BookTalk.com with its Irish backdrop, an element Iman adores in stories. Meanwhile, we're all eagerly awaiting Iman's upcoming book, "The Most Famous Girl In The World," set for publication in May.