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Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American
Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American | Wajahat Ali
6 posts | 7 read | 19 to read
Go back to where you came from, you terrorist! This is just one of the many warm, lovely, and helpful tips that Wajahat Ali and other children of immigrants receive on a daily basis. Go back where exactly? His hometown in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he cant afford rent? Awkward, left-handed, suffering from OCD, and wearing Husky pants, Ali grew up on the margins of the American mainstream, devoid of Brown superheroes, where people like him were portrayed as goofy sidekicks, shop owners with funny accents, sweaty terrorists, or aspiring sweaty terrorists. Driven by his desire to expand the American narrative to include protagonists who look like him, he became a writer, and in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks, an accidental activist and ambassador of all things Muslim-y. He uses his pen with turmeric-stained fingernails to fill in missing narratives, challenge the powerful, and booby trap racist stereotypes. In his bold, hopeful and hilarious memoir, Ali offers indispensable lessons and strategies to help cultivate a more compassionate America.
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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

I knew nothing about Ali before reading this. He‘s had a fascinating life so far and has a very engaging writing style. Based on the subtitle, I expecting a bit more humor, which is how the book starts, but even as it gets more serious my interest didn‘t wane. A great exploration of the impacts of being POC in America.

DisneyFan Yes - I really liked this one too. Happy to see it reviewed here. 2y
TheBookHippie The dog is how I feel in a picture!!! 2y
GingerAntics Your dog seriously stole the show on this one. It certainly doesn‘t hurt that it looks like the Statue of Liberty is pointing to him. It‘s like she‘s saying “look what these America first, white nationalists have led me to!” 😂🤣😂 2y
See All 8 Comments
Hooked_on_books @GingerAntics I didn‘t even notice the Statue pointing at her! That‘s really funny! 😂 Yeah, she really looks like she‘s making a statement when she sacks out on the couch. She‘s a funny dog. 2y
GingerAntics @Hooked_on_books she is so precious! She looks like a real sweetheart! 2y
Hooked_on_books @GingerAntics She‘s a great dog. She‘s super happy and joyful, constantly playing. I don‘t think she knows how to be mad (it‘s so cute when she tries). She always makes me smile. 2y
GingerAntics @Hooked_on_books I can see that! She‘s making me smile the way she‘s absolutely melted onto the couch in this picture! 2y
GingerAntics @Hooked_on_books big dogs are seriously more chill than little dogs. I could see myself having a bigger dog. 2y
65 likes3 stack adds8 comments
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Erynecki
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Pickpick

A Bay Area native, a playwright, lawyer, the son of Pakistani immigrants, and so much more…writes
with humor, frustration and anger about trying to live the American dream, Islamophobia, mental health, 9-11, incarceration, immigration, and so much more. He does it with great cultural insight, incredibly personal experiences, and heart. I confess that I didn‘t love the first third of the book, but I am so glad I kept going. A must-read memoir.

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Megabooks
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Pickpick

A very insightful, funny memoir! While I have seen Ali on various news programs, I didn‘t know the full story behind his family. He chronicles his father‘s immigration, his childhood, and his very difficult young adult years when his parents were wrongly imprisoned. He writes about his faith and how it carried him through these difficult times. He manages to inject humor into these difficult situations without making light of them. Very good!

Suet624 Sounds great. Stacked! 2y
Megabooks @Suet624 👍🏻👍🏻 enjoy! 2y
85 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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JoyBlue
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Pickpick

I highly recommend this combination memoir and social/political commentary. Read my full review—including a funny interchange with my spouse—here: https://debbybrauer.org/#go-back-to-where-you-came-from-and-o...

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Christine
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I really loved this! I knew just a little about Ali‘s work and personal story, so it was cool to learn about the depth and complexity of both - many serious ups and downs in his fortyish years! His analysis of and hope for America are wonderful, his writing is excellent, and he‘s really funny. I laughed out loud quite often. Also enjoyed his casual and conversational audiobook narration. Thanks to #NetGalley for early access to this one!

43 likes5 stack adds