But in their shared journey, they have each taken what they can carry, useful memories for their future. In the end, Sadik and Anna must each make their own choices, knowing their paths will likely diverge. The novel ultimately reveals how love, in all its forms, can both cause pain while simultaneously offering the possibility of transformation, growth, and healing. They are forced to confront their own prejudices and beliefs, and eventually come to understand the complexities of life. In the process, they each learn from the other and begin to learn more about themselves.Īs they travel, they find themselves increasingly at odds with the intolerant and oppressive society they travel through and eventually find themselves in the middle of an ongoing conflict between two religious factions.

The two slowly become closer and begin to share pieces of themselves, revealing their individual stories, fears, and dreams. The two travel together, first to Poland, Anna’s homeland, and then to Iran exploring small towns, secluded villages, and magnificent landscapes. After a few exchanges, Sadik proposes that she accompany him on a journey, to which she reluctantly agrees. She is moody and disillusioned until a chance meeting with an enigmatic Iranian man, Sadik, who she meets in a coffee shop. Take What You Can Carry by Gian Sardar is a novel about two people – a woman and a man – who come together in a chance encounter and embark on a journey that both deeply changes their lives.Īnna is a young Polish American woman living in New York City who is struggling to come to terms with the death of her father and a crumbling relationship.

Take what you can carry by gian sardar