Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America

This is well written and very relatable for people who come to the USA from other cultures, not just Iranians!I intend to use some of it with my ESL students.

Funny in Farsi. Firoozeh Dumas. New York: Random House, 2003. 198 pp. Firoozeh Dumas arrived in America when his father was assigned to a two-year rotation as an engineer in the Iranian National Oil Company (INOC). After a brief return to her native country, she and her family settled in the US. Funny in Farsi is a humorous memoir recounting stories about her childhood in Iran and her adolescent and adult life in her adopted country. The book is composed of short stories, often involving her father and mother and members of her extended family and with funny twists that take place in awkward situations. Dumas was seven years old when she first arrived in America. Her father had obtained her Masters degree in the US as a Fulbright scholar and worked for INOC in the town of Abadan in Iran. Upon arrival in California, he joyfully volunteered to be his family’s interpreter as they prepared to make the most out of this two-year assignment. He was very fast taken over by Dumas in this effort as his English proved to be limited to engineering phrases added upon the difficulties of his thick accent. The stories almost never follow a chronological order and in some of them, Dumas jumps from school years to her marriage and back to her years in Iran. However, I found this jumping around in time to be intellectually very stimulating as I wondered in each story what missing piece would fall into place in the puzzle called Dumas’s life.Over time, many of her extended family arrived in the US and settled within a half-an-hour-drive radius of where they live. The list includes her father’s sister, several of her uncles and their grown-up children. After the Iranian Revolution, the family started feeling the weight of quick labeling. Dumas and her family were vilified and sometimes faced direct hostility not only from strangers but also from previously friendly people. She makes it clear that the experience of the whole Iranian-American community was similar.After completing high school, Dumas studied humanities in UC Berkeley where she met her husband, a Frenchman. This added another interesting dimension as the rejection by her husband’s family contrasted sharply with the crowded meetings and close encounters with her own extended family. The book tells nice stories about how American culture is viewed by someone who recently arrived to the country. Hers are told with a specific angle, which is her native culture. This brings me to the added bonus of this book. Through these stories, we also get a good dose of introduction to the main characteristics of the Iranian culture. I found these characteristics quite interesting and sometimes downright fascinating. Her stories are hilarious, but not forced or exaggerated. They are sprinkled with short witty observations about peculiarities of both of these cultures. I turned the pages with anticipation and enjoyed the fact that most stories ended with a clever reference to an earlier off-hand remark inside the story. I enjoyed very much the light hearted comparisons between American and Iranian cultures and how Dumas presented having both as a gift. On the other hand, I thought she could be more forthcoming in talking around the Iranian Revolution and the decisions her family had to make at that time. I strongly recommend this book for all audiences, especially young adults who would benefit from the Dumas’s viewpoints on discrimination, prejudice and stereotyping. Challenges faced by immigrants can be enormous. This book avoids dramatizing these challenges and presents in a narrative that is at times humorous and always flows easily.

This is a hilarious book by my new favorite author. Tears streamed down my face in each chapter. I broke a full body sweat laughing. She has a beautiful command of the English language and a superb storytelling style. I cannot say enough about how much I enjoyed this book. I buy copies to give to my friends. I hope she writes a lot more. Very highly recommended.

What a delightful book that dives into the author's deep inquiries on identity, culture, immigration life. She touches on Persian culture and the different dynamics in her family, with a personable flair, and humor.

I absolutely LOVED this book. Being of Middle Eastern ethnicity, I could relate to her stories about her parents and the cultural differences she experienced growing up in the United States in a strict ethnic family. Her stories were laugh out loud funny. I would find myself stopping and reading parts of it to my husband, a WASP, who remembered being puzzled with some of the traditions when he met my parents when we were dating 53 yrs ago. She writes so well, and it is the perfect book to take on vacation when you want to spend some carefree time reading. I bought twenty copies and gave them as gifts to my friends.

Page 141 the chapters restart from the wedding and the book does not include the after word chapter stated in the table of contents. Overall the book is good but there was definitely something wrong with the printing of the book.

I have not laughed so hard in a very,very, VERY long time. I can totally relate to this author, however my connection is that I am a Southern gal MARRIED to an Iranian and totally understand the author's comments and sentiments. My husband has shared many of the aunts, uncles, cousins, mamas and papas of the region and I have MET many of the same characters from the author's memories. (I heartily believe the names of my own husband's relatives were changed for the sake of Mrs. Dumas' story lines!) I have witnessed the joy, love and acceptance of my own people here in America toward Iranians and have also witnessed the prejudices, hardships and hatred as well over the course of our lives together. We have raised two children and two grandchildren here in the deep south and many occasions when we meet new individuals interested in his/our heritage, the first question arises "just where IS your country?" my husband in his own wit and humor will many times reply "just a little north of Jacksonville..." Many can't believe a Southern Baptist and a Moslem could share any similarities whatsoever. We are absolute proof we can and do coexist...actually quite well I might add since we've been married 42 years now. I am many times sought out from those interested to explain MY experiences with the culture and I am only too proud and glad to share. I commend Mrs. Dumas on documenting her memories.I have been blessed to have my own memories documented in print and have found it quite rewarding as well. Many greetings to a new relation and countrywoman!!! Blessings to you my friend and I send many prayers for your continued success!

A sometimes eye-opening and almost always amusing look at the clamor ensuing the collision of the author's Iranian culture/ upbringing and life in the United States.I got a bit tired of her voice towards the end, but that's a me thing, and I foresee myself eventually purchasing the sequel.

I read this book a few years ago. It took me away to another world that my daily life in England had made me forget. I loved it so much that I missed it and read it again recently. An English friend read it too and said she went through many different emotions but she laughed more than anything else. She commented that it was an insight into the lives of Iranians, especially those who live away from home. I thought it was a good representation of where I come from. Again, well written and very easy to read.

A warmly funny memoir of her life growing up as an Iranian immigrant to America, I found this a very pleasant read. Even the parts that had the potential to be quite painful were told with a kindness and generosity of spirit that I found really winning.

Really funny and very poignant for those of us who are of the same age and background as Firoozeh. Wholly recommended to readers of all nationalities. It's a very easy read.

Easy to read, great insight into Iranian immigrant culture. Light-hearted, great read.

Brilliant and funny