‘The Farewell’ Is a Different Kind of Immigrant Story

Last weekend, I went back home to my native France for my parents’ 30th wedding anniversary. For this special occasion, my mother had the crazy idea of inviting not only French friends, but also most of her family from Croatia and my father’s family from Bosnia to come stay with them; she had planned to receive as many as 70 guests. Every time I see my grandmothers, uncles, cousins, and other relatives whose connection to me I tend to forget, I get asked how I make a living from writing. (I can’t blame them for being baffled by the idea.) And then comes the big question: Have I found a boyfriend yet?