|
|
|
|
||
|
HELP | |
|
  $8.50 List price:
Used Trade Paper
Ships in 1 to 3 days
More copies of this ISBN:This title in other formats:Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in Americaby Firoozeh Dumas
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:In 1972, when she was seven, Firoozeh Dumas and her family moved from Iran to Southern California, arriving with no firsthand knowledge of this country beyond her father's glowing memories of his graduate school years here. More family soon followed, and the clan has been here ever since. Funny in Farsi chronicles the American journey of Dumas's wonderfully engaging family: her engineer father, a sweetly quixotic dreamer who first sought riches on Bowling for Dollars and in Las Vegas, and later lost his job during the Iranian revolution; her elegant mother, who never fully mastered English (nor cared to); her uncle, who combated the effects of American fast food with an army of miraculous American weight-loss gadgets; and Firoozeh herself, who as a girl changed her name to Julie, and who encountered a second wave of culture shock when she met and married a Frenchman, becoming part of a one-couple melting pot. In a series of deftly drawn scenes, we watch the family grapple with American English (hot dogs and hush puppies? — a complete mystery), American traditions (Thanksgiving turkey? — an even greater mystery, since it tastes like nothing), and American culture (Firoozeh's parents laugh uproariously at Bob Hope on television, although they don't get the jokes even when she translates them into Farsi). Above all, this is an unforgettable story of identity, discovery, and the power of family love. It is a book that will leave us all laughing — without an accent. Review:"What's charming beyond the humor of this memoir is that it remains affectionate even in the weakest, most tenuous moments for the culture. It's the brilliance of true sophistication at work." Los Angeles Times Book Review Review:"Often hilarious, always interesting . . . Like the movie 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding,' this book describes with humor the intersection and overlapping of two cultures." The Providence Journal Review:"Heartfelt and hilarious — in any language." Glamour Review:"A humorous and introspective chronicle of a life filled with love — of family, country, and heritage." Jimmy Carter Review:"Today, as Middle Easterners in the United States are subject to racial profiling, stereotyping, and sometimes violence, this book provides a valuable glimpse into the immigrant experiences of one very entertaining family." Library Journal Review:"Dumas has a unique perspective on American culture, and she effortlessly balances the comedy of her family's misadventures with the more serious prejudices they face." Kristine Huntley, Booklist Review:"The best parts will make readers laugh out loud....Despite unevenness, Dumas's first book remains a warm, witty and sometimes poignant look at cross-cultural misunderstanding and family life." Publishers Weekly Review:"At all times, no matter how heavy the subject matter, Dumas keeps her tone light....Warm and engaging, despite some creaky prose." Kirkus Reviews About the AuthorFiroozeh Dumas graduated from the University of California at Berkeley. She lives with her husband and children in Northern California. Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Leffingwell Elementary School 3 Hot Dogs and Wild Geese 8 In the Gutter 13 Save Me, Mickey 17 Swoosh-Swoosh 24 With a Little Help from My Friends 31 Bernice 37 A Dozen Key Chains 42 You Can Call Me Al 50 Of Mosquitoes and Men 57 The "F Word" 62 Waterloo 68 America, Land of the Free 74 The Ham Amendment 82 Treasure Island 88 It's All Relatives 96 Me and Bob Hope 104 I Ran and I Ran and I Ran 111 I-raynians Need Not Apply 116 Girls Just Wanna Have Funds 122 Joyeuse Noelle 130 The Wedding 141 I Feel the Earth Move Under My Feet 154 A Nose by Any Other Name 161 Judges Paid Off 167 If I Were a Rich Man 180 What Our Readers Are SayingAdd a comment for a chance to win!
Average customer rating based on 1 comment: | |||||||||
|
| ||||||||||
|
||||||||||
Don't Miss
