In a small town on the edge of the Caspian Sea, Edmond Lazarian and his best friend Tahereh pass their days playing together, drifting between the delights of beachcombing and the joys of the sherbet shop. Although Edmond is Armenian and Tahereh is the Muslim daughter of the school’s janitor, they remain blissfully unaware of the disquiet that ripples the calm surface of their close-knit community. But years later, when Edmond’s daughter chooses to marry a Muslim, tension begins to build. Unable to continue ignoring the prejudices around him, Edmond is finally forced to make a choice, one that will haunt him for years to come. For fans of Anne Tyler, is a poignant, wistful story about belonging and otherness, pride and prejudice, and the pressures and family expectations that inform our decisions.