Description:
Editorial Reviews
Review
“A heartwarming tribute to immigrant families and their descendants trying to live the American dream.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Malaka Gharib tells the origin story of a person, somebody with hopes and fears and dreams. . . . Malaka looks to the future, to the expansive family that she has built and inherited, across continents and cultures. This memoir is as much a tribute to them as is her own coming of age story.”—Jeff Daughterty, BookTrib
“With a sincere approach, this graphic memoir will bring to mind Persepolis, but it is absolutely on its own quirky wavelength.”—Henry Chamberlain, Comics Grinder
"I Was Their American Dream is a pure and utter delight. With both a deft lightness and a deep poignancy, Malaka Gharib perfectly captures the feeling of growing up—of being a child of immigrants, of being a woman of color, of being thrown in the mix between cultures, of love, of family—with nostalgia, humor, and heart. Her words and illustrations are wittily observed and emotional in equal measure, able to draw a laugh and a tear over the span of a single page. I Was Their American Dream is a portrait of growing up in America, and a portrait of family, that pulls off the feat of being both intimately specific and deeply universal at the same time. I adored this book."—Jonny Sun, author and illustrator of everyone’s a aliebn when ur a aliebn too and New York Times best-selling illustrator of Gmorning, Gnight! by Lin-Manuel Miranda
About the Author
Reviews:
5.0 out of 5 stars amazing book with amazing topics and amazing artwork!
very relatable and interesting to read! very funny and and the artwork was very amazing and had a wonderful color palette! as a mixed mexican-filipina there were loads of "I've gotten that too!" or "I know that feel" moments and the comedy had me smiling and laughing. Great book to read about the struggles of being biracial in america and much much more!
5.0 out of 5 stars Short but fun read
Simple and easy to read. Humorous.
5.0 out of 5 stars A memorable memoir written in fun graphic form!
My H.S. student chose this book as his independent reading book. I bought it to help him with the assignment and I found myself not being able to put it down! It was so interesting to learn about the difficulties the author faced identifying with her two cultures, but it was written in a humorous , self aware manner. I love the book and look forward to her next book!
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!
As another “whitewashed” Filipino American, who didn’t fit in with other Filipinos and the white people I thought were so cool, and who also went to Cerritos High School, Malaka Gharib’s graphic memoir I WAS THEIR AMERICAN DREAM really resonated with me. Things like: being called a Twinkie for being an Asian who liked “white people things” and struggling to identify with my family’s culture and somehow finding a way to make it feel like mine too. Gharib shares her story in such a funny, heartfelt, and vibrant way with spunky and honest language and colorful cartoons too! Like when was even the last time I read a book with pictures? I’m so grateful for this book because it highlights a similar experience a lot of us go through—one that, at the time, we probably felt like was unique to only us. This book lets so many people know that they’re not alone. Reading this book made me really happy. It gave me a sense of nostalgia but also a different perspective on how to look at my past. This book also made me a little sad because it made me realize I’ve spent a lot of time feeling othered and disconnected from my “Filipino-ness” and that as an adult I have yet to completely come to terms with it. This is the kinda book that after you finish it makes you call your grandma to thank her for everything, to tell her you love her and to you ask her to teach you how to cook her favorite recipe. Reading Gharib's family story left me curious to ask questions about my own and for that this book is probably my favorite thing I’ve read all year.
4.0 out of 5 stars Bridging cultures
Helpful for understanding people of multiple cultures and recommended for those with children or friends who span cultures, religions, and traditions. Gives an insight into what may be going on inside —what one doesn’t see from the outside.
5.0 out of 5 stars We all want to be understood
As different from my upbringing as could be, but completely relatable because the universal need to find your people and your place. Malaka’s book brought memories back to me about how I treated newcomers and made me look at the actions I take to make people feel comfortable and welcome. I think this story could be a movie. The themes of belonging, acceptance and understanding are as true for a 30 something writer as they are for all of us. Highly recommend.
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Graphic Novel I've Read in a Long Time
I am a big fan of graphic novels (one of my favorite is Persepolis), and this book did not disappoint. Even if you are not the child of immigrant parents or come from a different background as the author, this book has deep yet entertaining themes relating to identity and what it means to be American. I bought the book not knowing a lot about it or sharing the author's background, yet it was a page-turning read, and brought forth many relatable moments. Definitely a great book for a Sunday afternoon.
5.0 out of 5 stars So many pages read just like ones out of my own “book.”
I teared up, laughed, nodded, and smiled while reading this graphic novel. There were so many moments that I related to being a fellow Filipina American. I had never read a graphic novel about being a Filipino/a growing up in the states, California at that. It was equally eye opening and touching to read about the author’s experience being Egyptian American.From the references to spam, Bahay kubo, eating noodles on birthdays, to the struggle living so far from family yet wanting to be there for all the big moments, I read some pages as if this was my own story.I just want to say thank you to Malaka for sharing her story. I hope we see more stories from her in the future!
Beautiful, Insightful, Funny, and Charming
I loved this graphic novel! Malaka takes the reader on a charmingly illustrated journey through her experience as the child of first generation immigrants in the USA - her father from Egypt and mother from the Philippines.She explains ways in which she loved the various aspects of both cultures but also how she sometimes struggled between honouring her heritage and growing up as an all American woman. The anecdotes are interesting (I knew very little about either culture going in!) and at times super relatable (Irish catholics and Filipino catholics are not so different haha). The illustrations are really cool, although at first I didn't like the style so much, it totally grew on me and I loved how all the characters were shown with so much love.It's also very insightful and poignant at times, discussing unique immigrant experiences surrounding your identity and how you interact with the majority culture of a country. As neither an American nor an immigrant in my own country, it was a totally new thing to learn about! Sometimes Malaka was accused of being too whitewashed by people in her own culture. Other times, she was told she identified too strongly as an immigrant and she shouldn't ask people what mix of ethnicity they were. Meanwhile, that was always the way she identified herself to others in order to connect with her community. It was a really interesting conflict. And it was beautiful, hopeful ending.The tone of the story is consistently uplifting and energetic. I'd really recommend it to anyone, although younger kids might struggle with the vocabulary.
A very nice story!
I recomand this book not only for your children but also to you, 'cause this story can teach you a lot.You can empathize with the protagonist, understand the POV of someone whose life is divided between two (and more) different Countries and cultures and how this can affect your relationships, friendships and life in general.
Loved it
Loved it
A memorable graphic Immigrant Making it America memoir with quirky fun art
A wonderful autobiography and memoir, Malaka Gharib the artist and writer talks about her life in America as an Egyptian-Filipino American in this graphic memoir. Her upbringing is a fascinating mix of two cultures, languages and religions: devout catholic philipino mother and her egyptian muslim father both immigrants to US. Her parents divorced when she was a child. But she spent time with both of them growing up and thus her family on both sides is large, loving and protective consisting of grandparents, uncles, aunts, half sisters and brothers and a loving stepmother.'Making it' in America by emulating the 'white people' is what she has been taught and grown up with. But life and work and moving away from her immigrant town Cerritos for studies to NYC and work in DC opens up Malaka's world. Does she fulfill her parents desire of living the American dream and doing better than them? In her own unique way yes.Yet another wonderful discovery with its quirky illustrations and dollops of humor atop a poignant reminiscence
10/10
Beautiful book. Beautiful illustrations. Paper quality is amazing too.
Visit the Ten Speed Graphic Store
I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir
AED7205
Quantity:
Order today to get by 7-14 business days
Delivery fee of AED 20. Free for orders above AED 200.
Imported From: United States
At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.
BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.
Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.
If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.
Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.
All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.
While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.
Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.
BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.
All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.
All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.
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More from this brand
Similar items from “Women”
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https://www.bolo.ae/products/U0525575111
Visit the Ten Speed Graphic Store
I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir
AED7205
Quantity:
Order today to get by 7-14 business days
Delivery fee of AED 20. Free for orders above AED 200.
Imported From: United States
At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.
BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.
Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.
If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.
Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.
All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.
While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.
Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.
BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.
All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.
All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.
Description:
Editorial Reviews
Review
“A heartwarming tribute to immigrant families and their descendants trying to live the American dream.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Malaka Gharib tells the origin story of a person, somebody with hopes and fears and dreams. . . . Malaka looks to the future, to the expansive family that she has built and inherited, across continents and cultures. This memoir is as much a tribute to them as is her own coming of age story.”—Jeff Daughterty, BookTrib
“With a sincere approach, this graphic memoir will bring to mind Persepolis, but it is absolutely on its own quirky wavelength.”—Henry Chamberlain, Comics Grinder
"I Was Their American Dream is a pure and utter delight. With both a deft lightness and a deep poignancy, Malaka Gharib perfectly captures the feeling of growing up—of being a child of immigrants, of being a woman of color, of being thrown in the mix between cultures, of love, of family—with nostalgia, humor, and heart. Her words and illustrations are wittily observed and emotional in equal measure, able to draw a laugh and a tear over the span of a single page. I Was Their American Dream is a portrait of growing up in America, and a portrait of family, that pulls off the feat of being both intimately specific and deeply universal at the same time. I adored this book."—Jonny Sun, author and illustrator of everyone’s a aliebn when ur a aliebn too and New York Times best-selling illustrator of Gmorning, Gnight! by Lin-Manuel Miranda
About the Author
Reviews:
5.0 out of 5 stars amazing book with amazing topics and amazing artwork!
very relatable and interesting to read! very funny and and the artwork was very amazing and had a wonderful color palette! as a mixed mexican-filipina there were loads of "I've gotten that too!" or "I know that feel" moments and the comedy had me smiling and laughing. Great book to read about the struggles of being biracial in america and much much more!
5.0 out of 5 stars Short but fun read
Simple and easy to read. Humorous.
5.0 out of 5 stars A memorable memoir written in fun graphic form!
My H.S. student chose this book as his independent reading book. I bought it to help him with the assignment and I found myself not being able to put it down! It was so interesting to learn about the difficulties the author faced identifying with her two cultures, but it was written in a humorous , self aware manner. I love the book and look forward to her next book!
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!
As another “whitewashed” Filipino American, who didn’t fit in with other Filipinos and the white people I thought were so cool, and who also went to Cerritos High School, Malaka Gharib’s graphic memoir I WAS THEIR AMERICAN DREAM really resonated with me. Things like: being called a Twinkie for being an Asian who liked “white people things” and struggling to identify with my family’s culture and somehow finding a way to make it feel like mine too. Gharib shares her story in such a funny, heartfelt, and vibrant way with spunky and honest language and colorful cartoons too! Like when was even the last time I read a book with pictures? I’m so grateful for this book because it highlights a similar experience a lot of us go through—one that, at the time, we probably felt like was unique to only us. This book lets so many people know that they’re not alone. Reading this book made me really happy. It gave me a sense of nostalgia but also a different perspective on how to look at my past. This book also made me a little sad because it made me realize I’ve spent a lot of time feeling othered and disconnected from my “Filipino-ness” and that as an adult I have yet to completely come to terms with it. This is the kinda book that after you finish it makes you call your grandma to thank her for everything, to tell her you love her and to you ask her to teach you how to cook her favorite recipe. Reading Gharib's family story left me curious to ask questions about my own and for that this book is probably my favorite thing I’ve read all year.
4.0 out of 5 stars Bridging cultures
Helpful for understanding people of multiple cultures and recommended for those with children or friends who span cultures, religions, and traditions. Gives an insight into what may be going on inside —what one doesn’t see from the outside.
5.0 out of 5 stars We all want to be understood
As different from my upbringing as could be, but completely relatable because the universal need to find your people and your place. Malaka’s book brought memories back to me about how I treated newcomers and made me look at the actions I take to make people feel comfortable and welcome. I think this story could be a movie. The themes of belonging, acceptance and understanding are as true for a 30 something writer as they are for all of us. Highly recommend.
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Graphic Novel I've Read in a Long Time
I am a big fan of graphic novels (one of my favorite is Persepolis), and this book did not disappoint. Even if you are not the child of immigrant parents or come from a different background as the author, this book has deep yet entertaining themes relating to identity and what it means to be American. I bought the book not knowing a lot about it or sharing the author's background, yet it was a page-turning read, and brought forth many relatable moments. Definitely a great book for a Sunday afternoon.
5.0 out of 5 stars So many pages read just like ones out of my own “book.”
I teared up, laughed, nodded, and smiled while reading this graphic novel. There were so many moments that I related to being a fellow Filipina American. I had never read a graphic novel about being a Filipino/a growing up in the states, California at that. It was equally eye opening and touching to read about the author’s experience being Egyptian American.From the references to spam, Bahay kubo, eating noodles on birthdays, to the struggle living so far from family yet wanting to be there for all the big moments, I read some pages as if this was my own story.I just want to say thank you to Malaka for sharing her story. I hope we see more stories from her in the future!
Beautiful, Insightful, Funny, and Charming
I loved this graphic novel! Malaka takes the reader on a charmingly illustrated journey through her experience as the child of first generation immigrants in the USA - her father from Egypt and mother from the Philippines.She explains ways in which she loved the various aspects of both cultures but also how she sometimes struggled between honouring her heritage and growing up as an all American woman. The anecdotes are interesting (I knew very little about either culture going in!) and at times super relatable (Irish catholics and Filipino catholics are not so different haha). The illustrations are really cool, although at first I didn't like the style so much, it totally grew on me and I loved how all the characters were shown with so much love.It's also very insightful and poignant at times, discussing unique immigrant experiences surrounding your identity and how you interact with the majority culture of a country. As neither an American nor an immigrant in my own country, it was a totally new thing to learn about! Sometimes Malaka was accused of being too whitewashed by people in her own culture. Other times, she was told she identified too strongly as an immigrant and she shouldn't ask people what mix of ethnicity they were. Meanwhile, that was always the way she identified herself to others in order to connect with her community. It was a really interesting conflict. And it was beautiful, hopeful ending.The tone of the story is consistently uplifting and energetic. I'd really recommend it to anyone, although younger kids might struggle with the vocabulary.
A very nice story!
I recomand this book not only for your children but also to you, 'cause this story can teach you a lot.You can empathize with the protagonist, understand the POV of someone whose life is divided between two (and more) different Countries and cultures and how this can affect your relationships, friendships and life in general.
Loved it
Loved it
A memorable graphic Immigrant Making it America memoir with quirky fun art
A wonderful autobiography and memoir, Malaka Gharib the artist and writer talks about her life in America as an Egyptian-Filipino American in this graphic memoir. Her upbringing is a fascinating mix of two cultures, languages and religions: devout catholic philipino mother and her egyptian muslim father both immigrants to US. Her parents divorced when she was a child. But she spent time with both of them growing up and thus her family on both sides is large, loving and protective consisting of grandparents, uncles, aunts, half sisters and brothers and a loving stepmother.'Making it' in America by emulating the 'white people' is what she has been taught and grown up with. But life and work and moving away from her immigrant town Cerritos for studies to NYC and work in DC opens up Malaka's world. Does she fulfill her parents desire of living the American dream and doing better than them? In her own unique way yes.Yet another wonderful discovery with its quirky illustrations and dollops of humor atop a poignant reminiscence
10/10
Beautiful book. Beautiful illustrations. Paper quality is amazing too.
Similar suggestions by Bolo
More from this brand
Similar items from “Women”
Share with
Or share with link
https://www.bolo.ae/products/U0525575111