Laughing Without an Accent by Firoozeh Dumas

If Funny in Farsi was laugh out loud funny, the 2^nd book by Firoozeh Dumas (FD) shows that her first book was not a fluke. My parents thought that something was definitely amiss when I was laughing out loud at 11 in the night, alone, well past my sleeping time (I am an early sleeper and early riser).

The book introduces us to the extended universe of FD and shows us she has a limitless supply of funny anecdotes laced with self deprecation and an incredible memory (or imagination or both!). The one difference in this book with respect to her first book is that it does have some serious elements as well - be it her concern over the world her children are growing up in or her endeavour to remedy the perception of Iran and Iranians in the US. Iran couldn’t have found a better ambassador in the US.

Like most good things, one feels miserable when the book ends. As someone who had the outrageously good fortune of meeting her, I happen to know her next book is not in this genre. But I still can’t wait to read it. Now if someone could only figure out a cheaper option for her books in India, I could spread her gospel in India.

I strongly urge every one of you to read this book (especially the penultimate chapter called “Pomp it Up” which is written with so much love and empathy) and her first book.

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