LATE BLOOMER

Growing up is hard enough—it’s harder still when you’re uncomfortable in your own culture, body, and sexual identity. Late Bloomer recounts the most cringe-worthy memories from writer, director, actress Desiree Akhavan’s life (so far).

It details her parents’ intrepid departure from Iran on the heels of the Islamic Revolution, her NYC prep school notoriety (she was voted “the ugliest girl in school” at age 14), her (bi)sexual awakening at Smith College, the rhinoplasty she was “kinda sort of forced” to have, her ba??le with body image, and many other life and love adventures which she has mined for gold. Painfully honest, this comedic memoir will appeal to fans of Lena Dunham, Sloane Crosley, and Alison Bechdel. Author's note: “If The Wonder Years could meet Curb Your Enthusiasm in the back of a lesbian dive bar and fall in hopelessly-misguided lust, this book would be their love child. Because the very best jokes are laced with despair and a bit of humiliation.” Desiree Akhavan is the writer/director/star of Appropriate Behavior, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for Best First Screenplay at the 2015 Indie Spirit Awards. She is also the co-creator and star of the critically acclaimed web series The Slope. Akhavan was featured as one of Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 New Faces of Independent Film” and appears in Season 4 of Girls. She has been profiled in Vogue, Variety, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, The New York Post, NPR, MSNBC, and many more publications. Her nonfiction has appeared in The Guardian, and she holds a BA from Smith College and an MFA from NYU’s Grad Film Program. A native New Yorker, she currently lives in London.