Funny in Farsi

Firoozeh Dumas

"I actually had to read "Funny in Farsi" because I was tutoring a high school student, whose English teacher assigned it for summer reading. But I ended up liking it, so.

It is a very lighthearted memoir about a woman who immigrated to the United States in the 1970's from Iran, not recently when Iran's been really, really religious and in the news for being the "land of fanatics," but 30 years ago. And it's mostly the culture clash and the awkwardness of being like the only kid in class who neither, celebrates Christmas nor Hanukkah.

Like, there are a lot of really funny parts. Very much in the style of like "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," where the dad is just really goofy and thinks of himself as good at certain things that he's not at all good at or, they have these very, very opposing views of how to handle situations.

I think it's perfect for adolescents. It's a perfect read for a teenager. Every teenager knows that feeling of wanting to fit in, but feeling like they don't. Every teenager knows that being embarrassed of your parents feeling, that like oh God, I hope they don't show up in that again.

So, I think it is really good for young adult or teen fiction, teen reading. I'd give it a three. I mean for what it is. I'm looking at it as an adult and maybe it was intended for a younger audience."

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