Review - Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card by Sara Saedi

Book info:

Title:  Americanized:  Rebel Without a Green Card
Author:  Sara Saedi
Genre:  Memoir
Release Date:  February 6th, 2018
Publisher:  Knopf Books for Young Readers
Source:  ARC received from Publisher
My rating: 4.5 stars

Synopsis:

Perfect for fans of Mindy Kaling and Lena Dunham’s books, AMERICANIZED: REBEL WITHOUT A GREEN CARD is the true story of one teen’s experience growing up in America as an undocumented immigrant from the Middle East.

 

In AMERICANIZED, bright-eyed, straight-A student Sara Saedi uncovered a terrible secret at age thirteen: she was breaking the law simply by living in the United States. Only two years old when her parents fled Iran, she didn’t learn of her undocumented status until her older sister wanted to apply for an after-school job, but couldn’t because she didn’t have a Social Security number.

 

Fear of deportation kept Sara up at night, but it didn’t keep her from being a teenager.

She desperately wanted a green card, along with clear skin, her own car, and a boyfriend. AMERICANIZED follows Sara’s progress toward getting her green card, but that’s only a portion of her experiences as an Iranian-“American” teenager. From discovering that her parents secretly divorced to facilitate her mother’s green card application to learning how to tame her unibrow, Sara pivots gracefully from the terrifying prospect that she might be kicked out of the country at any time to the almost-as-terrifying possibility that

she might be the only one of her friends without a date to the prom.

 

AMERICANIZED combines the timely topic of immigration with poignant and engaging voice that young readers won’t be able to put down!

My Review:
Just like the last line of the synopsis above says, this was one book that was hard to put down.  As a child of the 80s, this book was a real eye-opener to me about political issues and other history that took place during that decade, as well as the ones before and after.  I remember hearing a lot of the terms discussed in the book, but growing up as a white, middle-class child, those were things I heard on the news, that I never watched, and hated the fact that my parents made me turn off whatever afternoon show I would rather watch, or even switch off MTV during a video I loved so that they could see what was going on.  Obviously, the author of this book had a very personal connection to issues and people such as the Ayatollah Khomeini, the American hostage situation in Iran, the Iran-Iraq war, and more.  The author lived in Iran with her family until she was 2 years old, at which time her mother and older sister moved to America to escape all of the scary things that were going on.

To  learn that all of the ways we think of for Muslim women to dress, and the other conservative ways actually is newer to the country instead of something that has been a constant, well that blew my mind.  So much to learn from this book.  I always love when a memoir explains the family dynamics and culture of a country or group of people I don't have much experience with.  This book reminded me a lot of Mindy Kaling's first memoir:  Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (as referenced in the synopsis), but also of Kunal Nayyar's (The Big Bang Theory) memoir:  Yes, My Accent is Real:  And Some Other Things I Haven't Told You.  I love hearing how families of other cultures are different from my own, and even sometimes just how similar we all are at the heart of things.  

Not only did I learn more about historic events and Iranian culture, I also learned a lot about how someone becomes a citizen of the United States, but especially about what they have to do just to get a green card.  I learned that some terms didn't mean exactly what I thought they did, what they sound like they mean.  For instance, an undocumented immigrant isn't necessarily here illegally.  It could mean they are just waiting on their applications to be processed.  They may be here on a work visa, and not have a green card yet.  Getting those documents can mean getting a social security number, which then means that they pay taxes on the money they earn when they work.  

I honestly feel that this is a really great book for all of the students at my high school to read.  There are those that are growing up sheltered, like I did, that will learn so much from this story, that can help them to make well informed decisions on how they vote and who they vote for.  For my students that may be in a similar situation, worried about DACA and the other bills being passed or taken away, this is a great book to read and know that others have gone through the same process, and understand.  That it can work out, you just have to be persistent and patient at times.  

I'm very glad that I read this, and can't wait to get a copy to put in my school library for my students (and teachers) to read.   

Audiobook Review: Yes, My Accent is Real: and Some Other Things I Haven't Told You by Kunal Nayyar

This was the last audiobook I downloaded from the public library to listen to.  And it was narrated by the author, one of the stars of my favorite tv show, The Big Bang Theory, he plays Raj. 

First off, he is so funny!  I'm sure just reading the book would have been funny, but listening to him read his own words was even funnier.  As the title says, yes, the accent is real.  And one thing that is so funny is thinking about the episode of The Big Bang Theory when all the guys are teasing Raj for how he says mustache.  Because that is how he really says it!  I wonder if it got written in because of something that happened in real life with the cast.

He tells the story basically going through most of his life, how he was born in England, but actually lived most of his life in India.  We learn about his childhood, how he was a top badminton player, as well as other things that he did as a child.  It is fun to hear about all the holidays that Indians celebrate.  That is even funny because of the humorous stories he has to go with each holiday, as well as the fact that each holiday part includes him saying that particular holiday being discussed is his favorite festival.  So, all of them basically.  He talks about his first kiss, and how it was influenced by Winnie Cooper on the tv show The Wonder Years, played by Danica McKellar. Why that is relevant other than telling about that memory, is because there was an episode of The Big Bang Theory where Danica McKellar plays a girl that Raj hooks up with!  So hearing him talk about the experience of actually kissing "Winnie Cooper" is wonderful.

We learn about his time in college, and all the things he dealt with as someone from another country. He talks about when he first started acting really, during college.  We hear about his romantic escapades in college.  All told in such humorous fashion.  I have to say that hearing about his parents, well they seem to be some of the best parents you could ever have.  Nothing at all like his character Raj's parents. 

Then, the end is where we finally get to hear about when he got on the tv show.  And one of my favorite parts was the very end when he meets his wife.  Hearing about the wedding and how all the traditions work was really pretty magical.  There was one thing he said during the part with meeting his wife and falling in love that really struck me as well.  He says whenever people ask him for advice about whoever they're dating, he asks the if this person is kind.  People will always say the person has a good sense of humor, or is attractive, etc.  But if someone is kind, that shows something real about them.  And it makes such sense. 

I enjoyed listening to him talk, and knowing his accent is real, that makes the tv show even better.  I think I might even have fallen in love with him just a bit listening to his story.  He truly seems like such a nice, funny guy.  I definitely recommend this book, and if you like audiobooks, I'd suggest listening to it.  Another fun audiobook.  I'll have to find some more memoir types of books that are read by the author, probably other comedians I'd guess.

Waiting on Wednesday: Yes, My Accent is Real: and Some Other Things I Haven't Told You by Kunal Nayyar

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases that we're eagerly awaiting.  I've chosen a nonfiction book for a change this week.  It comes out next week, and is by an actor on one of my all-time favorite TV shows, The Big Bang Theory.  I guess he was at BEA this past summer, when I wasn't able to go.  :-(  Meeting him would have totally made any cost worth it, if I'd had any way to get the money together.  The author, Kunal Nayyar, plays Raj on the show, and I can't wait to read what he has to tell us about.  Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

Of all the charming misfits on television, there’s no doubt Raj from The Big Bang Theory — the sincere yet incurably geeky Indian-American astrophysicist — ranks among the misfittingest. Now, we meet the actor who is every bit as loveable as the character he plays on TV. In this revealing collection of essays written in his irreverent, hilarious, and self-deprecating voice, Kunal Nayyar traces his journey from a little boy in New Delhi who mistakes an awkward first kiss for a sacred commitment, gets nosebleeds chugging Coca-Cola to impress other students, and excels in the sport of badminton, to the confident, successful actor on the set of TV’s most-watched sitcom since Friends.

Going behind the scenes of The Big Bang Theory and into his personal experiences, Kunal introduces readers to the people who helped him grow, such as his James Bond-loving, mustachioed father who taught him the most important lessons in life: Treat a beggar as you would a king. There are two sides to every story. A smile goes a long way. And, when in doubt, use a spreadsheet. Kunal also walks us through his college years in Portland, where he takes his first sips of alcohol and learns to let loose with his French, 6’8” gentle-giant roommate, works his first-ever job for the university’s housekeeping department cleaning toilets for minimum wage, and begins a series of romantic exploits that go just about as well as they would for Raj. (That is, until he meets and marries a former Miss India in an elaborate seven-day event that we get to experience in a chapter titled “My Big Fat Indian Wedding.”)

Full of heart, but never taking itself too seriously, this witty and often inspiring collection of underdog tales follows a young man as he traverses two continents in search of a dream, along the way transcending culture and language (and many, many embarrassing incidents) to somehow miraculously land the role of a lifetime.

So much that sounds so good!  I am hoping to find it as hilarious as other books I've read by actors like this.  

So, what book are you eagerly awaiting this week? 

And while you're here, don't forget to go enter my September is for Sequels Giveaway.