Laughing Without an Accent

Adventures of an Iranian American, at Home and Abroad

By: Firoozeh Dumas

Narrated by: Firoozeh Dumas

Length: 5 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

In the best-selling memoir Funny in Farsi, Firoozeh Dumas recounted her adventures growing up Iranian American in Southern California. 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. (Hint: It may have to do with brushing and flossing daily.)

With dry wit and a bold spirit, Dumas puts her own unique mark on the themes of family, community, and tradition. She braves the uncommon palate of her French-born husband and learns the nuances of having her book translated for Persian audiences. (The censors edit out all references to ham.) And along the way, she reconciles her beloved Iranian customs with her Western ideals.

Explaining crossover cultural food fare, Dumas says, "The weirdest American culinary marriage is yams with melted marshmallows. I don't know who thought of this Thanksgiving tradition, but I'm guessing a hyperactive, toothless three-year-old." On Iranian wedding anniversaries: "It just initially seemed odd to celebrate the day that 'our families decided we should marry even though I had never met you, and frankly, it's not working out so well.'" On trying to fit in with her American peers: "At the time, my father drove a Buick LeSabre, a fancy French word meaning 'OPEC thanks you.'"

Dumas also documents her first year as a new mother, the familial chaos that ensues after she removes the television set from the house, the experience of taking 51 family members on a birthday cruise to Alaska, and a road trip to Iowa with an American once held hostage in Iran.

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.

©2008 Firoozeh Dumas (P)2008 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"There's such warmth to Dumas' writing that it invites the reader to pull up a seat at her table and smile right along with her at the quirks of her family and Iranians and Americans in general." ( Booklist)
"These stories, like everything Firoozeh Dumas writes, are charming, highly amusing vignettes of family life. Dumas is one of those rare people - a naturally gifted storyteller." (Alexander McCall Smith)

Thoughtful, engaging, and fun to read.

Would you consider the audio edition of Laughing Without an Accent to be better than the print version?

I haven't seen the printed version, but certainly think the recorded version would be better since it was narrated by the author. A tiny touch of accent, correct pronunciation of places, names and ideas adds to the experience of the story.

What other book might you compare Laughing Without an Accent to and why?

I can compare this to short stories by Jhumpa Lahiri because both authors have a sense to two cultures and express the ideas, confusions, conflicts, humor and life experience in a similar respectful (of both cultures) way.

What about Firoozeh Dumas’s performance did you like?

I love her voice and cadence, she is easy to listen to. I think her soft tones and real emotions make the deep moments in the book more memorable. I enjoyed her ability to use a lighter voice and express joy and happiness appropriately.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Living between and within two cultures, with a smile.

A Book Of Vignettes

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

The most important thing to know about this book is that it is a book of vignettes - not a novel with a story line that follows through from beginning to end. That being said, the stories were witty and sometimes quite funny. I had not read the first book but I don't know if that is why I felt like I was constantly missing something (a bit like leaving the theater to buy popcorn and coming back not knowing what happened).
The author reads the book. She is a novice but, at the same time, the language skills required to read a book of this nature are rare. I don't think it would have been the same had someone else attempted it.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Laughing Without an Accent?

What I enjoyed most was the insight in to life in Iran (pre-revolution) and the little bit of insight in to life for Iranians living in America during the hostage crisis.

Would you be willing to try another one of Firoozeh Dumas’s performances?

I wish I had read the first one prior to reading this one.

Could you see Laughing Without an Accent being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Nope. Current public sentiment in the US is too ignorant to accept something like that.

Good Enough To Make Me Want To Get Her First Book

I found this book to be funny and sweet, but it took a couple of stories before I really got into it. Just when I was ready to give up I became hooked. The author narrates, and I think I have come to the conclusion that authors should not narrate their books. It is not that she does a bad job, so much as it is an adequate job. Nothing wrong but at the same time nothing that makes the entire book come alive for me like some of the professional readers do. The stories made me laugh and one even made me cry, so all in all not a bad choice.

Horrible narration!

Occasionally it is fine when authors decide to narrate their own books, but there is a reason why they have professionals for this sort of thing. I wanted to listen to the whole story because it seemed like it would have been interesting, but I couldn't get past the first couple of chapters because of the narrator's voice.

angry?

I preferred if the first chapter wasn't this angry! it is a pity to start like that :)

Amusing

I like the culture-clash genre and this is a good example. Comes across as a humorous and sweet collection of remembrances of a family's challenges living in a new land. Entertaining but lacks cohesion.

Delightful!

Refreshing, entertaining, engaging, enlightening, funny, and well worthwhile. I highly recommend this uplifting book! Accolades to the author!

What Hoot!

I Love this author and will listen to anything she writes (then reads) She has a great sense of humour, and laughs readily at herself, even sharing cringe worthy details of her life. Love how she gets into family and culture and ties it all together in her stories letting us in on her past the good and the bad. The only thing I wasn't thrilled with was her stories aren't in any order that I could see, they seemed to jump around the time line a lot. So there was some overlapping and backtracking. However, that aside, I would recommend this book highly and again have to say would love to meet her and spend some time with her and her famiy!

Loved this! I had so hoped for a second book.

What did you like best about this story?

I just love the way this family bands together to make the best of any given situation-even when the foot goes into the mouth and it tastes like humble pie. (The new principal) We can all learn a lot from the way this author airs her truths. She owns all of it.
I think the stories her Dad told, that brought on eye-rolling-rubbed off on her. Now, she tells her own stories to her family, who may also eventually roll their eyes until they have kids of their own to tell them to.

Have you listened to any of Firoozeh Dumas’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes. I really hoped for a second book, and here it is!

Sweet and funny like the first - and maybe better

you won't be able to keep your self from smiling out loud numerous times throughout this thoroughly enjoyable listen. I think it's even better than her first. The Immigrant experience in America specifically from a Persian / Iranian view. A personal, thoroughly enjoyable recount of life in and appreciation for America without blind to some of the foibles of a free to be crude and sexuallyexploitive society - sharing concerns many parents have expressed over such as "Juicy" plastered across the seat of little girls' pants. It's no moralistic diatribe, just genuine, honest, and frequently funny. if you don't smile frequently throughout, you need a humor adjustment.