--- product_id: 12233288 title: "The Good Daughter: A Memoir of My Mother's Hidden Life" price: "VT7090" currency: VUV in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.vu/products/12233288-the-good-daughter-a-memoir-of-my-mothers-hidden-life store_origin: VU region: Vanuatu --- # The Good Daughter: A Memoir of My Mother's Hidden Life **Price:** VT7090 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Good Daughter: A Memoir of My Mother's Hidden Life - **How much does it cost?** VT7090 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vu](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/12233288-the-good-daughter-a-memoir-of-my-mothers-hidden-life) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description We were a world of two, my mother and I, until I started turning into an American girl. That's when she began telling me about The Good Daughter. It became a taunt, a warning, an omen. Jasmin Darznik came to America from Iran when she was only three years old, and she grew up knowing very little about her family's history. When she was in her early twenties, on a day shortly following her father's death, Jasmin was helping her mother move; a photograph fell from a stack of old letters. The girl pictured was her mother. She was wearing a wedding veil, and at her side stood a man whom Jasmin had never seen before. At first, Jasmin's mother, Lili, refused to speak about the photograph, and Jasmin returned to her own home frustrated and confused. But a few months later, she received from her mother the first of ten cassette tapes that would bring to light the wrenching hidden story of her family's true origins in Iran: Lili's marriage at thirteen, her troubled history of abuse and neglect, and a daughter she was forced to abandon in order to escape that life. The final tape revealed that Jasmin's sister, Sara - The Good Daughter - was still living in Iran. In this sweeping, poignant, and beautifully written memoir, Jasmin weaves the stories of three generations of Iranian women into a unique tale of one family's struggle for freedom and understanding. The result is an enchanting and unforgettable story of secrets, betrayal, and the unbreakable mother-daughter bond. Review: One of the best memoirs about 20th century life in Iran - I read The Good Daughter on my honeymoon. My husband's parents immigrated to the US from Iran many years before he was born, so I have been reading books about Iran to gain more insight into their culture. The only other memoir about Iranian life that equals this one is Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis. (I highly recommend reading both.) The most remarkable aspect of Dzarnik's book is the scope and detail with which she tells the story of her great-grandmother, grandmother and mother, as well as other relatives who played important roles in their lives. Her prose is beautiful, and descriptions of food, places and rituals are so evocative that it's easy to imagine being there with the women whose lives shaped hers. It's a dense book, but I didn't want to skip a word. While there are many memories that are hard to read, there are also stories of courage, redemption and perseverance that keep the story from becoming depressing - I was particularly charmed by the story of Kobra's mid-life career change and her reinvention of herself. Jasmin Dzarnik is very talented, and we are fortunate that she decided to share her family's story. If you want a better understanding of the people of Iran, definitely read this book. Review: The life of women - An engrossing account of life for women in Iran as seen from the lives of the great grandmother, grandmother and mother of the author. Lili, the author's mother, is married at thirteen to a sadistic man who beats her. After she gives birth to a daughter, she flees his home but has to leave her daughter behind. The author is Lili's second child, and has always seen her half sister, Sara, as the 'good daughter', but Sara is a damaged girl, who even as an adult, finds it hard to forgive her mother for her abandonment. This is a heart wrenching and mind opening look at a different culture's treatment of its women. Katherine McCaughan, author of 'Natasha Lands Down Under.' ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #1,005,220 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #579 in Emigrants & Immigrants Biographies #4,092 in Women's Biographies #22,339 in Memoirs (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 548 Reviews | ## Images ![The Good Daughter: A Memoir of My Mother's Hidden Life - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71ZZJNpvDdL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ One of the best memoirs about 20th century life in Iran *by A***S on April 14, 2011* I read The Good Daughter on my honeymoon. My husband's parents immigrated to the US from Iran many years before he was born, so I have been reading books about Iran to gain more insight into their culture. The only other memoir about Iranian life that equals this one is Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis. (I highly recommend reading both.) The most remarkable aspect of Dzarnik's book is the scope and detail with which she tells the story of her great-grandmother, grandmother and mother, as well as other relatives who played important roles in their lives. Her prose is beautiful, and descriptions of food, places and rituals are so evocative that it's easy to imagine being there with the women whose lives shaped hers. It's a dense book, but I didn't want to skip a word. While there are many memories that are hard to read, there are also stories of courage, redemption and perseverance that keep the story from becoming depressing - I was particularly charmed by the story of Kobra's mid-life career change and her reinvention of herself. Jasmin Dzarnik is very talented, and we are fortunate that she decided to share her family's story. If you want a better understanding of the people of Iran, definitely read this book. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The life of women *by K***' on April 28, 2013* An engrossing account of life for women in Iran as seen from the lives of the great grandmother, grandmother and mother of the author. Lili, the author's mother, is married at thirteen to a sadistic man who beats her. After she gives birth to a daughter, she flees his home but has to leave her daughter behind. The author is Lili's second child, and has always seen her half sister, Sara, as the 'good daughter', but Sara is a damaged girl, who even as an adult, finds it hard to forgive her mother for her abandonment. This is a heart wrenching and mind opening look at a different culture's treatment of its women. Katherine McCaughan, author of 'Natasha Lands Down Under.' ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ fascinating ! *by F***E on December 11, 2025* this moving story will be of particular interest to those open to learning about relationships from cultural perspectives. it is a tragic love story actually from Daughter to mother --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vu/products/12233288-the-good-daughter-a-memoir-of-my-mothers-hidden-life](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/12233288-the-good-daughter-a-memoir-of-my-mothers-hidden-life) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vanuatu* *Store origin: VU* *Last updated: 2026-05-15*