Central Point of Funny in Farsi
See a Problem?
Thanks for telling us about the problem.
Friend Reviews
Reader Q&A
Community Reviews
Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America is a 2003 memoir by Iranian American author Firoozeh Dumas.
The book describes Dumas's move with her family in 1972, at age seven, from Iran to Whittier, California, and her life in the United States for the next several decades (with a brief return to Iran). The book describes adjusting to the different culture and dealing with her extended family, most of whom also
Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America, Firoozeh DumasFunny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America is a 2003 memoir by Iranian American author Firoozeh Dumas.
The book describes Dumas's move with her family in 1972, at age seven, from Iran to Whittier, California, and her life in the United States for the next several decades (with a brief return to Iran). The book describes adjusting to the different culture and dealing with her extended family, most of whom also moved to the U.S. in the 1970's. It was Dumas's first book.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: ماه ژوئن سال 2006میلادی
عنوان: عطر سنبل عطر کاج؛ نویسنده: فیروزه جزایری دوما؛ مترجم: محمد سلیمانی نیا؛ تهران، قصه، چاپ پنجم تا هشتم 1385؛ در 192ص؛ شابک9645776627؛ چاپهای نهم تا دوازدهم 1386؛ چهاردهم تا شانزدهم 1387؛ چاپهای هفدهم تا هجدهم 1388؛ موضوع سرگذشتنامه زنان ایرانی تبار ساکن ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده 21م
عطر سنبل، نماد نوروز، و عطر کاج، نماد کریستمس است؛
سرکار خانم «فیروزه جزایری دوما» در این کتاب از زندگی «ایرانی» می‌گویند، از تقابل فرهنگ «ایرانی» و «غربی»، از تفاوت بوی خوش سنبلِ سفره ی هفت سین، و عطر کاجِ کریسمس، از سنت‌های «ایرانی» و اصالت‌هایش و تفاوت آن با زندگی مدرن «آمریکایی» با تمام امکاناتش، و تمام این تفاوت‌ها را با سادگی هرچه تمام‌تر همراه با چاشنی طنز به گونه ای بیان می‌کنند که به کسی برنخورد
نقل از کتاب: (سال‌هایی که در «برکلی» بودم، با «فرانسوا» آشنا شدم، مردی «فرانسوی»، که بعدها شوهرم شد، در زمان دوستی با او، متوجه شدم، زندگی من چقدر ناعادلانه بگذشته؛ «فرانسوی» بودن در «آمریکا»، مثل این است، که اجازه ی ورود به همه جا را، روی پیشانیت چسبانده باشند؛ «فرانسوا»، کافی بود اسم آشکارا «فرانسوی» خویش را، بگوید، تا مردم او را، جالب توجه بدانند؛ فرض بر این بود، که او روشنفکری است حساس، و کتاب خوانده، و هنگامی که مشغول زمزمه ی اشعار «بودلر» نیست، وقتش را با خلق نقاشی‌های امپرسیونیستی می‌گذراند.)؛ پایان نقل از کتاب
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 07/07/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 19/06/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
...more
I enjoyed Firoozeh Dumas's Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America. While this is a story of one specific family acclimating to life in the U.S., there were many familiar themes common to the immigrant experience. Dumas's style is easy to follow and what she writes should be accessible to any age. All of that is good. Still, there was a disconnect for me which probably has more to do with my expectations. D
"I truly believe that everyone has a story and everyone's story counts."
I enjoyed Firoozeh Dumas's Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America. While this is a story of one specific family acclimating to life in the U.S., there were many familiar themes common to the immigrant experience. Dumas's style is easy to follow and what she writes should be accessible to any age. All of that is good. Still, there was a disconnect for me which probably has more to do with my expectations. Despite the title, Dumas doesn't try to make everything funny; however, she treats everything with a light touch. There was a passing nod to the Iranian Revolution and her family's inability to return to their homeland, but very little about what the revolution was about or the real impact it had. Likewise, the serious challenges of growing up as an immigrant, if it didn't make for a somewhat amusing story, were either dropped or glossed over. There were a couple of things at the very end which resonated with me, though. In talking about the writing of the book, Dumas says that everyone's story counts. I absolutely agree. I also liked her final scene which showed her parents' reaction to her book talk; it fit how she had presented them and made me smile.
...more
Firoozeh came to Whittier, California from Abadan, Iran when she was seven years old. She told of her first day at elementary school. The children and teacher did not know where Iran was. She says her father told her America was a kind and orderly nation full of clean bathrooms. When she came home from school, she thought her father was correct the American
The news has been full of talk about immigration. Saw this book and thought it was an appropriate book considering the political environment.Firoozeh came to Whittier, California from Abadan, Iran when she was seven years old. She told of her first day at elementary school. The children and teacher did not know where Iran was. She says her father told her America was a kind and orderly nation full of clean bathrooms. When she came home from school, she thought her father was correct the Americans were kind to her and the bathrooms were very clean.
The author told funny stories about trying to learn English. She described the Iranian culture and how it differs from American culture. She told of the change of attitude toward her and her family after the Iranian Revolt and hostage taking. Her father lost his job and pension because of the crisis and they had to sell all their belongings. Her father eventually found another job at half the salary of his previous job. They were vilified and had trouble adapting to the hatred. She married a Frenchman and had to learn about another culture.
Toward the end of the book, she told about the U.S. citizens who shirk their civic duties. Her father told her they needed to live six months in a nondemocratic country and then they would vote.
The book is well written in a most humorous style. She had humorous vignettes about her family in various cultural situations. The book was a finalist for the PEN/USA award and the Thurber Prize.
The author did a good job narratoring the book.
It did make me smile, chuckle, and once or twice even laugh out loud. It is a charming
When I mentioned to my daughter the librarian that I needed something light to read after some of my recent reading, she recommended Firoozeh Dumas' Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America. Ms. Dumas had attended a Houston Library event within the past year and my daughter just happened to have an autographed copy of the book that she would lend me. She guaranteed that it would make me laugh.It did make me smile, chuckle, and once or twice even laugh out loud. It is a charming memoir of Ms. Dumas' family's coming to America a few years before the Iranian Revolution and the taking of the American hostages in Tehran. Her father, an engineer, was the family pioneer who had been to this country before as a college student on a Fulbright Scholarship. He loved the country and wanted to come back and eventually he did, bringing his family with him. They found a welcome here, even though they learned that most Americans did not seem to know what or where Iran was and seemed to not have a clue as to how to pronounce the country's name. Honestly, what is so difficult about ear-rahn? One has to suspect that the mispronunciation is a deliberate insult. But perhaps it isn't. The ignorance of people can be truly astounding.
And that was one of the things about this book which didn't make me smile or chuckle at all. Again and again, the anecdotes that the writer tells reveal Americans' appalling ignorance about the world and their gross provincialism. This does not at all seem to be the aim or point of her stories which are always told with love and humor, but I couldn't help focusing on those aspects nevertheless. Perhaps my point of view was colored by my concern about the poor quality of the education that so many American children receive. Living in Texas where our Board (or is that Bored?) of Education insists that all textbooks be put to a political litmus test has perhaps made me overly sensitive to this issue.
At any rate, the family came to America and were busily living the American dream when the revolution came and changed everything. They went overnight from being honored guests to pariahs. Her father lost his job and the family endured some lean times before the hostage crisis ended and things began to return to normal.
But this is a family of high achievers, like so many immigrant families, and nothing could keep them down for long. In the end, most of the extended family that had remained in Iran joined the author and her parents and brothers in this country, and judging by these warm and wonderful stories, our country is much the richer for their presence here.
...more
Overall, it is a light read. Each chapter is a separate story. The author takes the reader through her childhood up until she is a married woman with children. I laug
Currently, I am on a Middle East kick, so to speak. I read Kite Runner last year and finished A Thousand Splendid Suns last week. I began a mission to find books about the Middle East and found an interview with Khaled Hosseini where he recommended this book; thus, off to the library I went and took it out along with Lipstick Jihad.Overall, it is a light read. Each chapter is a separate story. The author takes the reader through her childhood up until she is a married woman with children. I laughed out loud (LOL for those of you who only understand IM Language - sorry couldn't help myself) reading several passages about her father and his inherent thriftiness. The book is a fast read and I probably finished it within hours, much to my disappointment. Beside the humourous bits about her father, I felt warmed (?) by the closeness of the author's huge extended family. I would recommend this book to those who enjoyed Khaled Hosseini's books but don't expect the same depth or quqlity of writing that you found in Mr. Hosseini's books. Take the book to the beach for a charming read.
...more
DEFINITELY a cool story! :)
I was married to an Iranian back in the 80s and Firoozeh's memoir brought back so many funny memories. Although my ex was in college when we met and his family did not live in the U.S., their influence was always felt. I learned by experience that (among other things) a visit from your Iranian in-laws did, indeed, last for a season and that meal prep began in the morning and lasted all day.
Firoozeh's father is awesome! I know there is absolutely NO similarity between t
DEFINITELY a cool story! :)
I was married to an Iranian back in the 80s and Firoozeh's memoir brought back so many funny memories. Although my ex was in college when we met and his family did not live in the U.S., their influence was always felt. I learned by experience that (among other things) a visit from your Iranian in-laws did, indeed, last for a season and that meal prep began in the morning and lasted all day.
Firoozeh's father is awesome! I know there is absolutely NO similarity between the two stories; however, in thinking about how to best describe him, all I could think of were the words "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". His boundless optimism was truly inspirational. There were so many quotes of his that I hope to remember in the future. This one is a favorite:
"It's not what we eat or don't eat that makes us good people; it's how we treat one another. As you grow older, you'll find that people of every religion think they're the best, but that's not true. There are good and bad people in every religion. Just because someone is Muslim, Jewish, or Christian doesn't mean a thing. You have to look and see what's in their hearts. That's the only thing that matters, and that's the only detail God cares about."
I felt envious of Firoozeh's large extended family and their closeness, and it made me wish I had met them when they first moved to Southern California. I love how they supported and encouraged each other and the pride they exhibited in each other's accomplishments.
In the past, the only memoirs I've read were by musicians or movie stars. This story will make me rethink my future choices as I found Funny in Farsi far more entertaining and uplifting than any celebrity drama could possibly be. And I will end with this gem...
"Any gift from a true friend is valuable, even if it's a hollow walnut shell."
...more
Oh my good god, this is one of my most effective sadness treatments, I've read it dozens of times, both the original English one and the translated Farsi edition, both of which are hilarious in their own ways. It's one of those rare books that make me laugh my ass off, out loud, literally. I love it! "Fritzy, Fritzy DumbAss!" =)))
Oh my good god, this is one of my most effective sadness treatments, I've read it dozens of times, both the original English one and the translated Farsi edition, both of which are hilarious in their own ways. It's one of those rare books that make me laugh my ass off, out loud, literally. I love it! ...more
Funny in Farsi is a memoir about the author, Firoozeh Dumas, moving from Iran to America when she was seven-years-old. The memoir is a collection of light and enjoyable tales of her and her family's experience living in a foreign land with barely the ability to speak the language properly.
The memoir balances the good with the bad perfectly, sharing both the more serious concerns of immigrants as well as the more boisterous periods of adjustment. Som
Review originally posted on A Skeptical Reader.Funny in Farsi is a memoir about the author, Firoozeh Dumas, moving from Iran to America when she was seven-years-old. The memoir is a collection of light and enjoyable tales of her and her family's experience living in a foreign land with barely the ability to speak the language properly.
The memoir balances the good with the bad perfectly, sharing both the more serious concerns of immigrants as well as the more boisterous periods of adjustment. Some of my favorite stories were of her father and his attempts to acclimate himself to the American environment. In one of the stories, she tells us of her father trying a get-rich-fast scheme by going on live TV to compete in a show and then raising his fists full of reasons of how the circumstances were against him from the start.
Equally, I also loved reading about her own experiences starting American school where the students didn't seem to have a clue as to where Iran was even located on a map. As she grows older, she also talks about the changes in USA's perception of Iran and how the differences in cultures often became intense, and later how she would meet her husband and absorbing yet another culture. The memoir is about what it means to be an Iranian and an American as well as an Iranian American.
Funny in Farsi is charming, quirky, and delightful read. As the antagonism towards immigrants from the Middle East grows across Europe and Northern America, perhaps immigration stories such as this are the best way to dispel the hatred and reach a more tolerant understanding of the 'other'.
...more
At the tender age of seven, Firoozeh and her family moved from Abadan, Iran to Southern California, and we, her readers, will never be quite the same. There is an abundance of humor and love and warmth here. This is a treasure worthy of more stars than Goodreads will allow.
"Ever since we had arrived in the United States, my classmates kept asking me about magic carpets. 'They don't exist,' I always said. I was wrong. Magic carpets do exist, but they are called library cards."At the tender age of seven, Firoozeh and her family moved from Abadan, Iran to Southern California, and we, her readers, will never be quite the same. There is an abundance of humor and love and warmth here. This is a treasure worthy of more stars than Goodreads will allow.
...more
An entertaining read. The author moved with her family from Iran to Southern California when she was 7 years old, just a few years before the Islamic Revolution in Iran. The book provides a light-hearted, interesting glimpse into the Iranian culture, and how immigrants adjust to American "pop" culture. There are parts that could have been quite sad, but the author clearly focused on the entertaining, upbeat side of each adventure.
An entertaining read. The author moved with her family from Iran to Southern California when she was 7 years old, just a few years before the Islamic Revolution in Iran. The book provides a light-hearted, interesting glimpse into the Iranian culture, and how immigrants adjust to American "pop" culture. There are parts that could have been quite sad, but the author clearly focused on the entertaining, upbeat side of each adventure.
...more
Love to read more of Firoozeh Dumas in near future. ...more
Since I am an Iranian, I couldn't resist relating with characters and feeling so close to situations. It was a nice read with some good laughs along.
Since I am an Iranian, I couldn't resist relating with characters and feeling so close to situations. ...more
Here's what I liked about the book: How her reflections humanized Iranians, Her amusing reflections, especially about her father, Kazem, Her observations about how Californian geography determined how well, or not, I
Here's the run down: Firoozeh Dumas is an Iranian who immigrated to the US in the early 1970's. Dumas' collection of biographical essays examine her life in the US, specifically California, from the time she arrives until she marries, starts a family of her own, and writes the book.Here's what I liked about the book: How her reflections humanized Iranians, Her amusing reflections, especially about her father, Kazem, Her observations about how Californian geography determined how well, or not, Iranian Americans were received, Her observations about how the treatment of Iranians in the US negatively changed after the Iranian Revolution and American hostage situation, and Her discussion, albeit superficial, about Iranian culture.
Here's what I didn't like about the book: Dumas completely ignored the opportunities she had to go deeper (with Iranian culture and history, the treatment of her family who spoke little to no English, her mother-- to name a few--but I guess that wouldn't be funny either), her writing is mediocre(at times it felt like I a was reading the unpolished ramblings of a small-time columnist), it wasn't very funny (at least as funny as I had hoped for).
...more
Highly recommend.
Firoozeh Dumas was born in Abadan, Iran and moved to Whittier, California at the age of seven. After a two-year stay, she and her family moved back to Iran and lived in Ahvaz and Tehran. Two years later, they moved back to Whittier, then to Newport Beach. Firoozeh then attended UC Berkeley where she met and married a Frenchman.
Other books in the series
News & Interviews
Welcome back. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account.
Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46349.Funny_in_Farsi