Jalil Mortazavi was born in Iran in 1955. In 1976, he came to America, where a series of operations failed to restore his sight. With much help and kindness from others, plus plenty of hard work, he learned English, attained university degrees in communications and counseling psychology, and gained diverse work experience, including in the theatre and radio and as a court interpreter. Eventually, he also married and had a child; his young daughter, Diana, is pictured on the cover with him. Today he works as a freelance journalist based in Boston. Mr. Mortazavi has written this book out of gratitude to all those who assisted him and showed him such kindness, as well as to the country that became his new home. In it, he attempts to identify and then define the various elements of American society that he sees as unique and of special value. He calls those, collectively, the mystery of America. With joy, humor, and unfailing positivity, he paints a picture of America that we can all hope is at least part of our reality, as well as an ideal. His previously published book is From Iran to America: Changes, Choices, and Challenges (C 2013). Full details are on his book-related website: http://www.dldbooks.com/jalilmortazavi/
