OCTOBER 25, 2024
5* REVIEW
Thank you to ReaderViews for reviewing Appleyard & Sons' bestselling historical fiction novel, "The Harmless Necessary Cat," which received a 5-star review.
#1 NEW RELEASE IN 4 GENRES
#1 NEW RELEASE IN MIDDLE EASTERN LITERATURE
#1 NEW RELEASE IN HISTORY OF IRAN
#1 NEW RELEASE IN HISTORICAL RUSSIAN FICTION
#1 NEW RELEASE IN GERMAN LITERATURE
OCTOBER 19, 2024: GLOBAL BOOK RELEASE
The Harmless Necessary Cat - A World War II Family Saga in Allied-Occupied Iran
TEHRAN, 1941. The world is ablaze, but in neutral Iran, life carries on—until British and Russian tanks roll in.
Though much has been written about World War II, little is known of Iran's trials during the conflict. Many remember the Japanese surprise assault on Pearl Harbor, epitomizing deceitful warfare, just as Operation Barbarossa, Hitler's treacherous invasion of the Soviet Union, played a parallel tune of unexpected aggression.
While these events captivated global attention, the Allies launched a sneak attack on Iran, seeking to secure crucial supply lines and curb the growing threat of German influence.
Overnight, the lives of ordinary Iranian families, like the Ahangars, are thrown into chaos. As their world crumbles, the Ahangars must make impossible choices to survive amid the dangerous tides of war.
In this coming-of-age story, young Sohrab Ahangar finds solace in an unlikely bond with his sister-in-law Krista and a growing friendship with Karl, two German expatriates whose community's presence in Iran adds to the rising tension. As Sohrab confronts the disintegration of his once-peaceful life, he uncovers a web of hidden loyalties.
Inspired by a true story, Sepehr Haddad's The Harmless Necessary Cat weaves a powerful narrative of love, loss, and resilience. This mesmerizing tale depicts innocent lives caught in history's crosshairs, offering a poignant testament to the enduring power of hope and perseverance in the face of war.
A HUNDRED SWEET PROMISES #1 BESTSELLER
Appleyard & Sons Publishing
We are a small independent publisher intent on offering original, quality content to our readers. Our founder is Moana Appleyard.
The Appleyard family has been involved in many activities related to the printing and publishing of books since the late 1800s in England, when Edmund James Appleyard (1821-1900) the ancestor of Appleyard & Sons' founder, Moana, was publishing books at 86 Farrington Street. Later, another relative, William Appleyard established the William Appleyard & Sons Ltd bookbinding and printing company at 14 Albert Road in Middlesbrough, England.
Moana is also the daughter of Donald Appleyard, an urban designer, and theorist whose work was known throughout the world and who was named one of Planetizen's Top 100 Thinkers of all time. His writings left a lasting impression on Moana, leading her to establish the Appleyard & Sons Publishing company.
Professor Appleyard authored a host of books, including The View from the Road (1963), The Conservation of European Cities (1979), and the highly acclaimed work, Livable Streets (1981). At the time of his death, Appleyard's research and writings were taking him in new but related directions, including major work on the study of environmental symbolism.
Moana also shares her father's passion for the environment, having received her Masters in City Planning from MIT. In 1987, she published her first work National Economic Development & Tropical Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Moana has also worked with the United States Environmental Protection Agency for over 30 years
AUTHOR APPEARANCE
Appleyard & Sons' author Sepehr Haddad will appear at the 2023 LA Times Festival of Books @ the Farhang Foundation Booth #949 on Saturday, April 22nd, from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm at the University of Southern California. The event "Iran through Books" is free to the public.
LATEST NEWS:
September 30, 2023
We are honored that Appleyard & Sons' novel, "A Hundred Sweet Promises," by Sepehr Haddad, was chosen as the 2023 American Fiction Awards Winner in the Historical Fiction & Historical Romance Categories.
"A Hundred Sweet Promises" is now the #1 Best Seller
BOOK AWARDS:
- WINNER - 2023 AMERICAN FICTION AWARDS - Historical Fiction & Historical Romance
- FINALIST- 2022 INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS - Historical Fiction & Literary Fiction
- SHORTLIST- 2022 HAWTHORNE PRIZE - Historical Fiction
Author Sepehr Haddad and Editor Moana Appleyard
Book Talk - Friendship Heights, Maryland
August 4, 2022
A family secret revealed 40 years ago by a grandmother to her grandson is now an acclaimed Russian historical fiction novel. "A Hundred Sweet Promises" is the tale of the author’s grandfather, Nasrosoltan, a famed composer, who on the eve of World War I travels from Persia to Russia to study classical music at the St. Petersburg Conservatory with such masters as Rimsky-Korsakov. While there, Nasrosoltan falls in love with a Romanov princess, but the royalty surrounding him considers this a forbidden love. Unexpectedly, the Tsar gets involved, and Nasrosoltan suddenly finds himself in a battle between head and heart while being carried forward on a wave of destiny toward an uncertain future. A novel based on a true story set against the backdrop of the final days of Imperial Russia.
Now available worldwide in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook
