Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America
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- ISBN13: 9780812968378
- Condition: New
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Product Description
This new Readers Circle edition includes a reading group guide and a conversation between Firoozeh Dumas and Khaled Hosseini, leader of The Kite Runner.”
In 1972, when she was seven, Firoozeh Dumas and her family tree stirred 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 tree soon followed, and the clan has been here ever since.
Amusing in Farsi chronicles the American journey of Dumas’s wonderfully engaging family tree: her engineer father, a sweetly quixotic idealist 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 quick 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, apt part of a one-couple melting pot.
In a series of deftly drawn scenes, we watch the family tree grapple with American English (hot dogs and hush puppies?—a perfect mystery), American traditions (Prayer turkey?—an even greater mystery, since it tastes like nothing), and American culture (Firoozeh’s parents laugh rowdily 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 tale of identity, discovery, and the power of family tree like. It is a book that will place us all laughing—lacking an accent.
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Ms. Dumas showed in her book that superficial people exists in every culture and she is the representation of it. She states over and over “I am a Muslim, but Don’t get me incorrect…” reference to alcohol, pork, and being naked in beaches. The best analogy to her statement is an practicing Jew stating that he enjoys ham but not pork ribs, or a Mormon that he enjoys Beer but not wine.
What kind of hypocrite ponder whether her daughter is going to wear hijab, when she, the leader, is basting under the sun naked.
One is free to behave as ones wish but not to pretend that they are superior to additional Americans because they know the difference between various wines. Are all American who do not eat pork, or drink alcohol less of Americans? Is it a prerequisite to eat pork to become an American?
There are many American profiles, as the fantastic American writers: Steinbeck, Fitzgerald, Upton Sinclair, Sinclair Lewis, Wolfe, etc shows us. You don’t have to drink or eat pork to be American. The essence of Americans is the sens that one can permanently learn, one can permanently improve ones situation (optimism)–even in this terrible economy Americans are staying positive–and hard work. Only here do you have people taking two to three jobs to makes end meet. No one believes that there exists tiny jobs.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
This summer I read a string of brilliant books. It was incredible. Normally I only like about 1 out of every 5 books I read, but this summer it was like I could do no incorrect. Just one page-turner after another.
But THIS is the book that place an end to my winning streak: it’s dull. And worse, illusory.
It’s a memoir of a girl who grew up with an Iranian family tree in America and believes her insights are worth your time.
What insights, pray?
To paraphrase: “Hey, although we Muslims may seem different, when you get right down to it, we’re just like you! Thus there is nothing to dread.”
I’ve seen this logic too many times. It runs like this: “My friend so-and-so is a Muslim, and he wouldn’t hurt a glide. Therefore Islam is no threat whatsoever.” So we can all just relax while hordes of immigrants from cultures where there is no tradition of liberty, human rights, or even Greek-style reason inundate our shores.
The leader makes no attempt to clarify how folks who judge that statements such as “When the sacred months are over, kill the idolaters wherever you find them. Arrest them, besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them” are the unerring, eternally valid word of God — that such people are really, when you get right down to it, “just like us!” As a replacement for, we are invited to conclude that this particular family tree is odd, lovable, and harmless. Therefore, Islam as a whole has been grievously misunderstood.
The only reason this didn’t get one star is that her characterization of her father was brilliant: amusing and memorable.
Reader’s Rating: 2 / 5
The only folks this book maybe amusing to are the type of Iranians who have small mastery of the English language. I establish the writing skill to be too elementary for anyone with educations beyond the high school level. I have to say that I have not read the Farsi translation of it which incidentally I have heard is much better than its English version.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
It would have been wonderful if she wrote it to share with her family tree and friends, but to publish it? There is no substance, it is not particularly amusing and it is just unadorned dull. This book proves that not everybody needs to write a memoir.
I’ve been married into Iranian family tree and I recognizable a lot of traits she is describing. The book was amusing, at times. But, I would not recommend it.
Reader’s Rating: 2 / 5
after reading this book i learned that anyone, absolutely anyone, can publish something, based on Dumas’ writing abilities. I was cringing at her way of just rambling on about something to another thing, etc. but it did touch upon vital issues, that many kids of immigrant parents face.
Reader’s Rating: 3 / 5