ewee (9/26): Funny in Farsi, by Firoozeh Dumas

Aaah, back to the library -- this time, it's the Asian branch of the Oakland public library system. This is a tiny branch, with more materials in a wide variety Asian languages than in English. There's even Korean videos (nothing current, but they're free!).

But I digress...

I actually first saw Funny in Farsi as someone else's gifty. It looked like a good read (I only got it outta his hands for a second), and I was intrigued. All-in-all, it lived up to its promise. It is a well-written (and well-translated), and engaging read. The insights into Iranian culture, especially as a measure of the changing times in the US, are thoughtful and interesting (Dumas' experiences span the times both before and after the Iranian revolution).

There are moments when the book is simplistic and overly pollyanna-ish, and is better consumed as a series of short stories (tho it reads so quickly, I found that I'd read it in almost one sitting). But overall, the characters are three-dimensional and endearing, the writing is engaging, and the narrative tells a story of one immigrant family's experience with humor and compassion.

So, overall, this book is highly recommended.