Laughing All The Way To The Mosque
-
-
4.4 • 16 Ratings
-
-
- $11.99
-
- $11.99
Publisher Description
SHORTLISTED FOR THE LEACOCK MEDAL FOR HUMOUR, THE KOBO EMERGING WRITER PRIZE AND TWO SASKATCHEWAN BOOK AWARDS
Zarqa Nawaz has always straddled two cultures. She’s just as likely to be agonizing over which sparkly earrings will “pimp out” her hijab as to be flirting with the Walmart meat manager in a futile attempt to secure halal chicken the day before Eid. “Little Mosque on the Prairie” brought Zarqa’s own laugh-out-loud take on her everyday culture clash to viewers around the world. And now, in Laughing All the Way to the Mosque, she tells the sometimes absurd, sometimes challenging, always funny stories of being Zarqa in a western society. From explaining to the plumber why the toilet must be within sitting arm’s reach of the water tap (hint: it involves a watering can and a Muslim obsession with cleanliness “down there”) to urging the electrician to place an eye-height electrical socket for her father-in-law’s epilepsy-inducing light-up picture of the Kaaba, Zarqa paints a hilarious portrait of growing up in a household where, according to her father, the Quran says it’s okay to eat at McDonald’s—but only if you order the McFish.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this entertaining memoir, Nawaz, creator of the hit sitcom Little Mosque on the Prairie, writes about her life as a Canadian Muslim woman of Pakistani origin. She addresses serious social issues suspicion of Muslims after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, gender relations in Islam, the struggle to fit in as an immigrant child but always with a humorous and light touch, deftly balancing obvious commitments to her religion, her country, and her family with an irreverent approach to the status quo. Nawaz's stories are sometimes specific to her Muslim life: she describes going on the hajj and wearing the hijab, as well as her parents trying to arrange her marriage. But non-Muslim readers will relate to many of the stories, such as those about being a self-conscious preteen or dealing with work/life balance as the mother of four children. Nawaz's self-deprecating wit is endearing, and her simple, factual tone provides education without ever being boring. This memoir provides an important glimpse into the everyday life of a Western Muslim family, but, even better, it is a laugh-out-loud story that everyone can enjoy.
Customer Reviews
Thank you
Thank you for making me laugh, cry and giggle. This book helped me understand the muslim world and appreciate its finest details. Zarqa, wish you would have shared your famous butter chicken recipe ;)