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This is one of the most beautiful Adhans (Call to Prayer) I have ever heard. When I was delving into the Quran, Hadith and other works from and on Islam several years back, I discovered it. I am atheist but I can appreciate the beautiful things that religion can bring…this is one of them. Link to listen: https://open.spotify.com/track/0MyvE90Yr6uwgbtzdPhUJb?si=6uL0AO_IToSOGKHPCHXFgw&...

This is the story of one man‘s experience, in a country which claims to welcome all peoplx. He is American; Pakistani; Muslim. He tells the story of his parents‘ coming to America and trying to achieve the infamous ‘dream‘. He tells his story of the family struggle, and the ongoing struggle of being Brown and Muslim, in a post 9/11. America has a long way to go, and as of late, it looks like the road is growing even longer. Highly recommend.

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.

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.

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!

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...

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!