Born in 1982, Arash Sadeqbeigi holds an M.A. degree in Dramatic Literature from the University of Tehran. His debut book for young adults, Open Eyes, was released in English in 2008 and his first collection of short stories, titled The Bazaar of the Nice (2015) was the winner of the 9th Jalal Al-e Ahmad Literary Awards as well as the 34th edition of IRI Book of the Year. The Memoirs of an Ornery Boy, his second book for young adults, has just been released in Persian.
Sadeqbeigi is also a screenwriter. He has written The Secret Circle (2008) and some episodes of It Might Have Occurred to You television series (2010-12). He is the former editor of Daastaan – of Hamshahri magazine series, and San Literary Magazine.
Edward Confectionary (2018)
Short story collection published by Markaz. There are six stories in this book that revolve around urban settings and focus on human relations, especially of sons and fathers. The title of the collection refers to a real confectionery located at the intersection of Kargar and Jomhuri streets in Tehran. The place becomes a special location for the people to meet and reveal their ordinarily special stories of their lives.
The Memoirs of an Ornery Boy (2017)
The book’s protagonist is a wily, keen, naughty and ornery little boy who has got a vegan mother and a carnivorous father. His life is full of adventures and funny events mingled with bittersweet moments of peace and quarrel, villainy, and kickback.
I pulled the sheep up over myself and listened to the professor, who was pointing at me from afar, saying, “Today we are going to dissect this cadaver: dissection of organs. Let’s drag out his guts.” Beneath the sheet, I could see a throng of knife-holding people walking toward me. Suddenly I jumped on the bed with the sheet over my head. And I could see the boys and girls screaming and fainting. Then I realized that I was not dreaming and I was in a real dissection hall.
The Bazaar of the Nice (2015)
“Summer Rain”
Uncle Mahdi’s motorcycle, granted by Martyrs Foundation, was stolen during the war. Twenty eight years later, he comes back to Iran having lived all these years in the U.S. to get his recently found motorcycle…
“Summer Rain” was the second winner of the 1st edition of Tehran Story Award in 2014.
With the tip of my toe I hit the rusty tailpipe and said, “Come back for this cranky thing?” “The engine is fine,” he replied. I sat by his side and asked, “But why did it end up in Mariwan?” He bend down to pick up a piece with his oily hands and showed it to me, “because of this.”
“By Us”
A young graphic designer is supervising the eight-color printing of the Quran but it does not go well when he realizes that the margins are miscalculated. In the meantime, he gets acquainted with a Christian youth, his father’s tenant…
“By Us” was the winner of the Religious Festivals of Guilan (2008) and Mashhad (2012).
I stepped in and followed him, lengthening my steps but could not reach him. As I reached the stone yard of Ghukas Church, he was gone. There were green fields around and he could not have gone anywhere else. I went in.”
“The Ziba Bathhouse”
Although the Ziba Public Bathhouse is past its prime years, it has a constant customer now: Mr Huspian whom the bath manager should wash in person. He gradually learns that Mr Huspian is terribly afraid of water…
“The Ziba Bathhouse” won the first edition of ‘Study Lamp’ Literary awards in 2010.
He was now panting and perspiring, having taken clothes off. A breeze raised the stink out of the frizzy hair on his belly and underarms. This forest of dirt under that well-ironed shirt and clean trousers were pure surprise. He hardly bent on his belly to reach his pocket bottle amongst the towel, the Philips trimmer and foreign Eau de Toilette, and took a sip…
“A Petition”
An old and experienced writer of petitions writes a letter to an old friend of his to inform him of his wife’s probable affair with a colleague…
The story won the Isfahan Literary award in 2009.
And you forget that you are dealing with Mahdi Barta, who can take a look at the typewriter’s ink and tell when the letter dried, let alone when and where it was written.
“The Khitan Enamel”
A young convict learns the enamel art during his stay in jail and makes friends with Master Mahmoud, a famous master of the traditional art of Isfahan. After he is released, he starts working in an enamel shop around Naqsh-e Jahan Square, until one day he meets an ex-mate’s sister…
“The Khitan Enamel” was the winner of Bushehr Literary Awards in 2014.
A girl approached, a tall brunette with a lean face and light eyes, and greeted me – a greeting brighter than the summer noon sunlight of Isfahan that casts over the river’s skin…
Open Eyes (2008)
Open Eyes
A young man is hired in a shop producing custom cloth banners to do calligraphy on cloth. An old man orders a welcome note, and the young man gradually recalls who the old man is…
Open Eyes is the winner of Hafez Literary Awards for Arts Students of Tehran, and the Festival of Culture, Science and Literature (2006)