Book Review: Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas - Immigration

This report presents a detailed book review of Firoozeh Dumas's 'Funny in Farsi.' The review explores the author's experiences as an Iranian immigrant in the United States, focusing on her family's journey and the cultural adjustments they faced. The reviewer highlights Dumas's unique perspective on immigration, contrasting the common narratives with her personal insights. The review discusses key themes such as cultural assimilation, ethnic identity, and the challenges and triumphs of navigating two cultures. The reviewer provides insightful quotes from the book and connects the themes to the curriculum, particularly immigration studies. The report concludes by recommending the book for its valuable insights into the immigrant experience and its relevance to understanding cultural diversity and the process of adaptation.

Running Head: BOOK REVIEW OF FUNNY IN FARSI
Book review of Funny in Farsi
Name of the Student:
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Author Note:

1BOOK REVIEW OF FUNNY IN FARSI
Response to Question 1
The overall message of the author is her life being an immigrant in the United States,
the changes that took place in her life as a young girl and also her Iranian family. It was an
insightful and unique approach towards dealing with immigration and life being an Iranian
and growing up in America. Most of the common approach that we get to hear about
immigration is the gruesome experiences of immigrants and the kindness of Americans.
However, it is also important to keep this in mind that the Iranian Revolution changed the
course of events and created a generalized hatred towards anyone hailing from Iran. The
message of the author is according to me simply telling her story in order to represent what
her own thoughts have come across while being an immigrant and then raising the next
generation in America with a mixed cultural and religious background.
Response to Question 2
Overall, Funny in Farsi was a delightful read, which did not seem to cater to
the usual storytelling process when it comes to memoirs (Dumas). Being a mostly
lighthearted, and at times mildly sarcastic ad ironic read, Firozeeh Dumas uses every words
and language, perhaps as an attempt to make her work readable and approachable by all.
There was nothing a weakness that I could find in the text. It has been insightful, and fun.
Response to Question 3
“...The more modest and impractical the kitchen, the more likely one will be invited to
stay for a meal. Show me a fancy house with a top-of-the-line gourmet kitchen, and I'll show
you a family that eats out a lot.”
“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

2BOOK REVIEW OF FUNNY IN FARSI
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 was a VIP, a Very Iranian Person, and things just take longer for us.”
“Throughout his job ordeal, my father never complained. He remained an Iranian who
loved his native country but who also believed in American ideals. He only said how sad it
was that people so easily hate an entire population simply because of the actions of a few.
And what a waste it is to hate, he always said. What a waste.”
“Swimsuit competitions go against everything that is right and decent in this world.
We're told that beauty is on the inside and that who we are matters far more than what we
look like. But could you please just put on this bikini and walk around on high heels so I can
judge your inner beauty?” (Dumas)
Above stated quotes are just a few parts of that book that I found interesting, and has
resonated deeply with my own perspective and ideals. Dumas offers a lot of fresh
perspectives when it comes to the gross generalization of various cultures that are usually
done by American society (Dumas). The difference between the Iranian culture and
hospitality and that of the American hospitality is highlighted when she talks about the
paradox of a shabby kitchen and the hospitality of the people, by especially referring to her
aunt who loves to feed other people (Dumas). When Dumas’s father, Kazeem talks about the
religious belief of Muslim and of not consuming pork or ham, he points out the practical
implication of the avoiding the meat in the times of Prophet Muhammad and the numerous
cases of contamination that was common due to consumption of pork not being cleaned and
cooked properly (Dumas). Dumas being stopped at the airport during her exchange
programme to France because of being an Iranian also highlights the fact that there is a lot of
difference in the manner in which people respond and treat other and their religious, cultural,

3BOOK REVIEW OF FUNNY IN FARSI
and ethnic background. However, instead of being bitter about it, Firoozeh uses humour and
wit by translating VIP as “Very Iranian Person” and hence, being stopped and interrogated
longer at the airport security checks (Dumas). When she talks about the crash of the Iranian
economy, and her father becoming jobless in his late fifties, she fondly recollects the lack of
any bitter emotion in him. He has been successfully able to keep his Iranian culture and love
for his homeland in fact while welcoming and adapting the American way of life and
American ideals. Kazeem also talks about the futility that comes with hatred, irrespective of
who brews and towards whom it is directed at. It underlines the message of the book in so
many ways. Dumas in her narration of the events in the Bahamas reveal her strong belief in
exploring and holding on to the importance of inner beauty (Dumas).
Response to Question 4
The theme of immigration and cultural assimilation that is a part of our curriculum
appears throughout the text since it is one of the most dominant themes of the text (Organista
et al. 102). However, there are some specific instances among many, such as in chapter 1 “To
him, America was a place where anyone, no matter how humble his background, could
become an important person. It was a kind and orderly nation full of clean bathrooms, a land
where traffic laws were obeyed and whales jumped through loops. It was the Promised Land.
Fpr me, it was where I could buy more outfits for Barbie.” (Dumas)
“When I announced to my family that I wanted to add an American name, they
reacted with their usual laughter. Never one to let mockery or good judgment stand in my
way, I proceeded to ask for suggestions. My father suggested “Fifi.” Had I had a special
affinity for French poodles or been considering a career in prostitution, I would’ve” (Dumas)
is the perfect example of ethnic identity and its significance especially applicable for the
immigrants in America and Australia.

4BOOK REVIEW OF FUNNY IN FARSI
In chapter The “F Word” Dumas reveals the ordeals of immigrants and their crisis of
identity when they migrate to America. The concept of Heritage Language is highly related to
the loss of essence of the names such as that of Firoozeh’s brother Farshid whose name
means “He Who Enlightens”, and Arash meaning “Giver”. She wishes her name was
anything but Firoozeh since there is no way anyone could pronounce her name neither is
there any practice of the language Farsi when the moved to different countries, away from
their homeland, where their language remains as a heritage language (Ethnic Identity and
Heritage Language).
The adaptation among immigrants also are very unique and different for every
individual and in Funny in Farsi, Dumas places this adaptation somewhere between two
cultures and moves on to the development of a synthetic culture eventually while she marries
a French Christian man (Bush et al. 181). However, she does not place culture above other
since she is critical and appreciative of all of them- “Marriage, in my culture, has nothing to
do with romance. It’s a matter of logic.” “As odd as these logical unions may appear to the
Western world, their success rate is probably no worse than that of marriages based on eyes
meeting across a crowded room and the heart going va-va-va-boom.” (Dumas).
Response to Question 5
The book is extremely resourceful and helps for those who are involved in the
immigration studies and would want to have a better perspective and are aiming to make the
lives of immigrants, irrespective of their background, a lot easier in America.

5BOOK REVIEW OF FUNNY IN FARSI
Response to Question 6
I would recommend this book, being mostly a light-hearted heart, but full of
information to my friends who are either immigrants themselves, or to those who are trying to
be better citizens of the country.

6BOOK REVIEW OF FUNNY IN FARSI
Work Cited
Ballard, Jaime, Elizabeth Wieling, and Catherine Solheim. Immigrant and refugee families:
global perspectives on displacement and resettlement experiences. 2016.
Bush, Kevin Ray et al. Adaptation Among Immigrant Families: Resources And Barriers.
Dumas, Firoozeh. Funny In Farsi. Random House Publishing Group, 2007, pp. 3-188.
Organista, Pamela Balls, Gerardo Marin, and Kevin M. Chun. The psychology of ethnic
groups in the United States. Sage, 2010.