Droll, moving, and relevant, Laughing Without an Accent shows how our differences can unite us—and provides indelible proof that Firoozeh Dumas is a humorist of the highest order. Each chapter is entertaining and endearing. Humorist Firoozeh Dumas resists playing gimmicky Western misperceptions of Islamic culture for gags. Firoozeh is an Iranian-American author who writes about her family and the U.S. She was born in 1965. my only complaint is that it's a series of short stories instead of a complete narrative which is really a pity because i want to know all the details. As a mother, I hope my two daughters take their rope and jump and sing for a really long time. just so you know. i wished i had read it while still living at home because this was a book i would have practically read aloud to her in high school. Her works include Laughing Without An Accent and Funny in Farsi, a book about her life growing up as an Iranian-American. A short easy read that showed me Iranians warmth, hospitality, tolerance, humor and above all, love of family. Dumas’ keen observations expose the silliness of herself and those around … From bumper stickers to Jon Stewart, we often fail to acknowledge just how much our First Amendment rights afford us. This was not a good book in my opinion. Laughingwithoutanaccent on Instagram! Humorous at times. Laughing Without an Accent has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments for readers of any accent. Especially since the stories demonstrate that she and her family are about as suburban American as you can get. You will like how the writer write this ebook. Especially since the stories demonstrate that she and her family are about as suburban American as you can get. au contraire. No matter how poorly a book might be translated, the author has no control. One just can't believe some people could be so ridiculous. Surprisingly, there are no guidelines there, either. It's a collection of humorous essays about her life as the daughter of Iranian immigrants. This book, Laughing Without an Accent seems to be a mishmash of her memories here and there. Today, finally finished one of the funniest book. If empowerment were as simple as being able to show skin, Paris Hilton would be the most enlightened woman in the United States. Freedom is a rope; some make a ladder out of it and climb out of the box they're put in, some make a noose, and others make a stripper pole. Through my uncle, who knew someone who knew someone, I was put in touch with a well-known humor translator living in Iran. Hey Americans, Appreciate Your Freedom Of Speech, Pass The Foie Gras: Christmas Menu Hard To Digest, Firoozeh Dumas: 'Laughing Without an Accent'. Aside from those guidelines, one is at the mercy of the individual government employee assigned to each book. I didn’t think it was that funny, but watching my father laugh made us all laugh. . Praise for Laughing Without an Accent “Dumas is one of those rare people: a naturally gifted storyteller.”—Alexander McCall Smith I have also listened to Funny in Farsi & Laughing without accent as well! I loved her first book, Funny in Farsi, so was delighted to learn she'd written a second book. “The language is called Persian!” they tell me. Firoozeh is a great story teller. Droll, moving, and relevant, Laughing Without an Accent shows how our differences can unite us-and provides indelible proof that Firoozeh Dumas is a humorist of the highest order. Opening subscription boxes, snail mail and sharing arts and crafts. My father and I read each one and I e-mailed back our comments, most of which had to do with nuance. And this is how Mohammad Soleimani Nia, my translator, came into my life. How does one convey to someone who has never seen The Price Is Right that the words “Come on down!” are always followed by a hysterical person shrieking and jumping up and down? Congrats to the the Author Firoozeh Dumas, receiving the inaugural New Americans Children's history book prize. The author of the best-selling memoir Funny in Farsi continues the story of her Iranian-American family and their experiences at home and abroad, from dealing with her French husband's Christmas traditions, to consuming a variety of international "delicacies," to taking fifty-one Iranian family members on a cruise to Alaska. In summary, for more than a year now, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been in the midst of two extraordinary and dangerous crises. We also saw it as a terrible waste of food, a real no-no for anyone from any country in the world except for the United States. an entire story about a comforter being an ugly color. Explaining crossover cultur While I found "Funny in Farsi" funnier, I enjoyed the stories in this installment more enjoyable and ones I could relate to more. She does! April 28, 2009 • In America, we take freedom of speech for granted. “She shouldn’t do that,” my dad always said. I gather from the last story in this collection that the point of this book is to bring cultures together, so I'm puzzled and a bit disappointed that the author chose to stereotype "Americans" throughout the book. We’d love your help. Reading of this book started about 2 weeks ago as my routine reading something interesting In English. I decided to make my own preemptive strike and find a translator in Iran. To test Mohammad’s skill, I asked him to translate one of my stories. He contacted the publisher in Iran, who told him, “Our translation is better than your book.”. Amusing and sweet. She and her father get pulled over by the police -- what country?? I so enjoy Firoozeh Dumas! One cannot blame God, I was told. In the Persian version, I reworded the sentence, using a passive voice, claiming that the woman’s nose looked as if it had been switched. I was quite pleased with the results and knew that, serendipitously, I had stumbled upon the right person. We always hoped she would say, “Not tonight.” But instead, she would let out a loud and long yell that left the audience in stitches and us bewildered. an entire story about a comforter being an ugly color, trying to sell an oddly shaped potato on Ebay, etc.). This comes as a shock to most people, given Iran’s law-abiding image. my only complaint is that it's a series of short stories instead of a complete narrative which is really a pity because i want to know all the details. Perhaps some sort of Oil-for-Guidelines program could be negotiated. Don't miss her first book FiF!!! (Funny in Farsi made me laugh more though.) Three changes had to be made, two minor, one major. I didn't laugh - with or without an accent. In Iran, the title was changed to Atre Sombol, Atre Koj, meaning The Scent of Hyacinths, the Scent of Pine, which refers to the contrasting smells of the holidays. His humor had much to do with facial expressions and body language, which, thankfully, did not require translation. One Iranian publisher divides each book into about twenty sections, giving each section to a different translator. Not as good as "Funny in Farsi", but still an easy-to-read from Dumas that I enjoyed to some extent! Iranians are very good that way. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. One time, Flip Wilson sang “He put the lime in the coconut” in his high-pitched mock-sultry Geraldine voice, and my father laughed so hard that he cried. Anyone who watched her show regularly knew that during the audience question-and-answer section, one person would inevitably ask her to do her Tarzan yell. One would think that in a book of humor some things would be obvious, but apparently not. I enjoyed this book – it’s an entertaining memoir-in-essays by an Iranian-American author about her life, family, and navigating two cultures. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published When you read any of her novels or essays, you'll know more about what it's really like to be an immigrant. Once their childhoods are over- and not at age eleven, please- I hope they use that rope to climb wherever they wish to go. In that book I was very careful not to cross the line into anything embarrassing or insulting. #plannergirl “. Note: Book excerpts are provided by the publisher and may contain language some find offensive. “Ever since we had arrived in the United States, my classmates kept asking me about magic carpets. Laughing Without An Accent Summary | SuperSummary Laughing Without an Accent: Adventures of an Iranian American, at Home and Abroad Filesize: 9.67 MB Reviews Complete information! Droll, moving, and relevant, Laughing Without an Accent shows how our differences can unite us—and provides indelible proof that Firoozeh Dumas is a humorist of the highest order. My father particularly objected when Mohammad translated “my father’s receding hairline” to “my father’s bald head.” I immediately sent Mohammad an e-mail quoting my father exactly: “I am not Yul Brynner!” A profusely apologetic e-mail followed. Also, there is only ONE story abroad, the rest are at home. Mohammad translated story by story and e-mailed each one to me. This is no exception. Now she again mines her rich Persian heritage in Laughing Without an Accent, sharing stories both tender and humorous on being a citizen of the world, on her well-meaning family, and on amusing cultural conundrums, all told with insights int Then it was time for the censors. A month later, I received another e-mail from Mohammad telling me that he was still interested should I write another book. It seems like a follow-up on "Funny in Farsi" and she just tell us more stories around her family and herself. Your purchase helps support NPR programming. Knowing such horror stories, I feared the inevitable translation of my memoirs, Funny in Farsi, into Persian. Then i would want them to hold the rope for others, regardless of what the person is wearing on her head or not wearing on her bottom.". Before we had a chance to formally agree on anything, my designated translator became ill, and it was obvious that I would have to find someone else. Then we got started. Humor, like poetry, is culture-specific and does not always work in translation. I have tried my best to pass the same message to my children, born and raised in the United States. The censor objected to my describing someone looking as if God had switched her nose with the beak of a toucan. This book also seemed to have an agenda at times, knowing now it will be translated/sell widely in Iran. . Happened upon her latest in the bookstore and picked it up. Refresh and try again. I would recommend Funny in Farsi, but not this one. This book is a simple collection of family memories shared by an Iranian immigrant--but the writing and storytelling is very well done. I know. 2. . I asked Mohammad how long the government would take to return my book. That character sketch, with “Geraldine’s” sassy attitude, had us rocking back and forth in laughter on our ugly brown striped sofa. I was stuck, since I had deleted Mohammad’s e-mail. The book is kind of bridge builder as the writer truly claimed in the book because she was born in Iran with persian culture and immigrated to the U.S when she was 7. she's sort of second generation. Even though I had not used my maiden name in the original printing of the book, it took about twelve minutes for the average Iranian to figure out my last name, Jazayeri. Not sure how she pulls it off. laughing without an accent adventures of a global citizen Dec 05, 2020 Posted By Harold Robbins Media Publishing TEXT ID 757e8089 Online PDF Ebook Epub Library laughing without an accent adventures of a global citizen 2008 is a memoir of her experiences as an iranian american navigating cultural differences and misunderstandings I knew that Funny in Farsi would be a difficult book to translate because so much of its humor has to do with the American culture of the seventies. The majority of Iranian women are strong and smart, defying the strict rules set by the totalitarian government every chance they get. Iran does not currently adhere to international copyright laws. ! “Laughing Without an Accent is written . . Others seemed nothing more than typical "mommy blog" entries. Laughing Without An Accent Adventures of An Iranian American, at Home and Abroad (Book) : Dumas, Firoozeh : In the bestselling memoir Funny in Farsi, Firoozeh Dumas … "wearing the hijab does not mean that women are submissive and weak. Review of Laughing without an Accent Hans Anderson. Lisa hates to be read aloud to, so i'll have to share quotes with you instead. Perhaps it's because FiF was my first book of hers and the first experience is always better because you don't know what to expect. There was just something goofy about her that made us laugh, especially when she was with Tim Conway. There is also something universally funny about the contrast between a short man and a tall man, which was played out with Harvey Korman. Her dad reminded me of my own Iranian immigrant father. It also certainly had me pegged as a Westerner who has no interest in drinking bovine urine. I was so disappointed in this. Funny observations about life in American from a foreign (Iranian) point of view along with stories about the author's family. Welcome back. Hardcover, 226 pages, Random House Inc, List Price: $22 |. Christmas means blending old customs with new traditions, even if the result is messier than a bag full of carrot jam. I especially enjoyed the stories "My Achilles Meal," "The Jester and I," "Last Mango in Paris," and "444 Days.". February 26, 2009 by Dawn. ©2008 Firoozeh Dumas (P)2008 Audible, Inc. More from the same The way I see it, memoirs provide a unique reading opportunity- a hybrid of sorts between nonfiction and fiction. Ultimately, it doesn't matter where we learn that lesson. But she a warming wit that avoids being nasty. But I enjoyed this. Funny in Farsi & Laughing Without an Accent. I'm surprised Dumas has been able to make a living as a writer, because, while she has wonderful material to start with, she doesn't seem to know what to do with it. 50,000 first printing. We agreed and waited for all her other sketches, which we loved. She needs new material! The Iranian New Year is associated with the scent of hyacinths, and Christmas, with the scent of pine—not to mention the bearded fellow coming down the chimney, although technically, that should not smell. ISBN-13: 9780345499578. . How? Not adhering to international copyright laws means that any book, regardless of origin, can be translated into Persian and sold in Iran. In fact, I'd say most of the stories would serve better as the plots for mildly amusing American sitcom episodes (e.g. It's a collection of humorous essays about her … . I’m on a roll with these new boxes I’m discovering an sharing with you!!! I read *Funny in Farsi* so long ago that I can't remember it, so I can't compare this one to her first. When I started it, I didn't know it is so amazing. by firoozeh dumas laughing without an accent adventures of an iranian american at home and abroad first edition Dec 03, 2020 Posted By John Grisham Ltd TEXT ID 1111e4ca4 Online PDF Ebook Epub Library dumas is a humorist of the highest order without an accent adventures of iranian american at home and abroad firoozeh dumasby searching the title publisher or authors … I wish there was a book like this from every country in the world. I saw her speak in Boise and was a little surprised that she recited almost all the same stories from the book. It doesn't help that during the first part of the book, she moves back and forth in time and place, so you never have a sense of reference. Funny, but not as funny as "Funny in Farsi" (FiF). This was equally enjoyable & a worthwhile read. She tried too hard to recover -or maybe even create- memories from Iran. OK, she does take some punches at her family and Lindsay Lohan. Summary Mining her rich Persian heritage with dry wit and a bold spirit, Firoozeh Dumas puts her own unique mark on … Firoozeh boasts that she would be the ideal party guest. . We were also baffled by Carol Burnett’s Tarzan yell. If you want to know what the Iran Hostage Crisis was like for everyday Iranians, be sure to read the essay entitled "444 Days.". Funny in Farsi is a collection of humorous vignettes, verbal snapshots of my immigrant family. My goal was to have the subjects of my story laugh with me, not cringe and want to move to Switzerland under assumed names. So I think you can imagine that an Iranian immigrant married to a French gentleman with a large extended family who has lived in the Berkeley, CA area might have some funny stories to tell. The biographical elements accompanied with appropriate allusions here and there made the experience of reading enjoyable. I thanked him but told him I already had someone. i wished i had read it while still living at home because this was a book i would have practically read aloud to her in high school. I think Firoozeh's books are such an entertaining way to learn about Iranian culture and family life. (Hint: It may have to do with brushing and flossing daily.) Perhaps I had written the equivalent of Carol Burnett’s Tarzan yell. Every time a Harry Potter installment is released, there is a mad rush around the world to translate the book. Saying, “I speak Farsi,” is like saying, “I speak français.” I was more than happy to let that title go since it has been the subject of many long e-mails from Iranians with far too much free time on their hands, accusing me of spreading misinformation about our vastly underappreciated culture. Also, there is only, this book had no dead mothers in it but it still made me miss my mom so much. At home and abroad Walking at 8am He learned this growing up in Ahwaz, Iran, in a Muslim household. June 21, 2008 • Writer Firoozeh Dumas talks about her new memoir, Laughing Without an Accent. But as an Iranian-American, commentator Firoozeh Dumas appreciates all of it — even Rush Limbaugh. December 21, 2008 • Forget the picturesque tree and perfectly arranged presents. But for all I knew, a translated version might make my family look like fools. and when it's not its being sentimental in the BEST way possible. and when it's not its being sentimental in the BEST way possible. That way, his version, which must resemble a patchwork quilt more than anything J. K. Rowling actually wrote, is the first on the Iranian market. Although there are no written guidelines stating exactly what is prohibited, common sense dictates that in an Islamic theocracy, nudity, profanity, insulting the religion or government, and perhaps anything having to do with Paris Hilton are all no-nos. as if Dumas were sharing a cup of coffee with her reader as she relates her comic tales. Firoozeh Dumas exudes undeniable charm [as she] reveals a zeal for culture—both new and old—and the enduring … Firoozeh Dumas’ recent book, Laughing Without An Accent: Adventures of a Global Citizen, feels like the reader and writer are meeting for coffee and some good, often very funny, conversation. The odd thing is that thirty-five years later, my father still remembers some of the words to that song, singing it as Kazem imitating Flip Wilson imitating Geraldine. My father always said that hatred is a waste and never an option. Laughing without an Accent > Comments > "Review of Laughing without an Accent" Piece Comment. Now she again mines her rich Persian heritage in Laughing Without an Accent, sharing stories both tender and humorous on being a citizen of the world, on her well-meaning family, and on amusing cultural conundrums, all told with insights into the universality of the human condition. This appeals to me, having been told the reader laughs with the family not at them. How does one translate “Shake ’n Bake” for cultures where slow cooking, not speed and ease, is the preferred method of food preparation, where a woman standing in her kitchen shaking a drumstick in a plastic bag and looking downright happy would cause concern? I could comprehended every little thing using this written e ebook. What’s downright hilarious in one culture may draw blank stares in another. Her book is personable, smart and fun. How old is she?? Author: Firoozeh Dumas Paperback:256 pages ISBN-10:0345499573 Publisher:Random House Trade Paperbacks; Reprint edition (August 11, 2009) Mining her rich Persian heritage with dry wit and a bold spirit, Firoozeh Dumas puts her own unique mark on the themes of family, community, and tradition. Where happy mail and pretty things meet. Please, should any reader, Iranian or otherwise, feel the urge to e-mail me with a complaint about the incorrect use of the word “Farsi” in the title of my previous book, please, instead, look up the words “humorous alliteration.”. I imagined the bearded censor sitting as at his desk, book open, chin back, mouth open, snoring loudly. She relates each story as though she's telling it to a friend she just bumped into in the grocery store, complete with backtracks and repeats as she tries to fill in the details. This is a retrospective about an ordinary life, an ordinary wife and mother with an interesting background and perspective. Droll, moving, and relevant, Laughing Without an Accent shows how our differences can unite us - and provides indelible proof that Firoozeh Dumas is a humorist of the highest order. We also adored Flip Wilson, especially when he became Geraldine. It is utterly different from anything I have read so far. "Laughing Without an Accent" is written in a folksy, conversational style, as if Dumas were sharing a cup of coffee with her reader as she relates her comic tales. Droll, moving, and relevant, Laughing Without an Accent shows how our differences can unite us--and provides indelible proof that Firoozeh Dumas is a humorist of the highest order. Well, maybe it's a little too close to my experience growing up half greek and half irish. 'S history book prize a woman who moved from Iran not this.. Family could not figure out why a pie thrown in someone ’ s Ulysses has been at the censor s! But not this one I wish there was just something goofy about her new memoir, Laughing an... 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Now it will be translated/sell widely in Iran, who knew someone who knew someone, I say. Also adored Flip Wilson, especially when he became Geraldine you can get as! Interested should I write another book life, an ordinary life, an ordinary,. Stuck, since I had deleted Mohammad ’ s skill, I asked him to translate book! Mistakes revealed what life is like in the BEST way possible Rush around the world to translate book. Cup of coffee with her warm voice years old, although I think Firoozeh 's books are an! Their belongings, fast `` wearing the hijab does not mean that women strong... Comments > `` Review of Laughing Without an Accent has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments for readers of Accent. Was not a happy thought second book, snoring loudly beak of a book might be translated, author...