CANDIDNESS: 3.5/5
ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 3.5/5
If you are a fan of American sitcom then I am sure you must have heard of The Big Bang Theory. The sitcom is basically the story of a few nerdy friends and their lives. Kunal Nayyar is the guy who plays Raj Koothrappali in it and Yes, My Accent is Real is a collection of stories from his life.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“This is not a memoir. I’m not a president, or an astronaut, or a Kardashian. This is a collection of stories from my life.”[/perfectpullquote] At the beginning of the blurb, Kunal writes that the book is not a memoir but a collection of stories from his life. This “not a memoir” book starts with Kunal’s journey from his childhood in Delhi to his big break in The Big Bang Theory and ends with his marriage to a former Miss India.Kunal’s writing is full of wit and humour and it has the ability to easily establish a connection with the reader. To the reader, Kunal soon becomes a friend recounting tales from his life. He is the boy next door in a Delhi neighbourhood playing badminton and mistaking the first kiss for a marriage commitment. He is also the awkward guy in an American college having no clue how to blend in and finding solace in the company of an aspiring basketball player cum roommate Dziko.
He is also a struggling actor looking for a chance to make it big and then finally he is the guy who has been there, done that and made it big in the American television scene. All this while, being so many things, he is also a friend to the reader and that is what makes the reader want to keep going.
Yes, My Accent is Real is full of tales rich with experiences and wisdom which will be helpful to many people who are struggling with the cultural shock of moving to America. It will also be helpful to aspiring actors and people who plan to move to America for college or job.
The language of the book is easy and fluid and like I stated earlier, full of humour and wit. The book has value and entertainment both though I think the acting struggle part was a bit overdone for a general reader like me. What I also did not like was the fact that at all times, the book was written keeping in mind the foreign readers and not the Indian ones. That is something which might put any Indian reader off.
Overall, Yes, My Accent is Real is a pleasant read and I will recommend it to people who are looking for a light non-fiction or a light memoir.
Can’t wait to read it? Buy your copy of Yes, My Accent is Real using the link below.
