This American Woman

A One-In-A-Billion Memoir

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This American Woman

By: Zarna Garg

Narrated by: Zarna Garg

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About this listen

Award-winning comedian Zarna Garg turns her astonishing life story into a hilarious memoir, spilling all the chai on her wild ride from escaping an arranged marriage and homelessness in India to carving her own path in America and launching a dazzling second act in midlife.

“A deeply honest and hilarious book about how you always win if you bet on yourself.”—Amy Poehler

Throughout Zarna’s whole childhood in India, everyone called her “so American” just for reading the newspaper, having deep thoughts, and talking back to anyone over the age of thirty. When Zarna’s dad tried to marry her off at age fourteen, Zarna fled—first to the streets of Mumbai and ultimately to the glittering paradise of Akron, Ohio, where she got to become American for real.

On Zarna’s very American quest to find herself and her calling, she threw herself wholeheartedly into roles like dog-bite lawyer, crazy perfectionist stay-at-home mom, Indian matchmaker, prizewinning screenwriter, and more. It wasn’t until a dare led her to a stand-up comedy open mic that Zarna finally found her spiritual home: getting paid cold hard cash for her big fat mouth.

And as Zarna discovered, after surviving the brutal streets of Mumbai, the cutthroat world of stand-up comedy is nothing.

This American Woman is an exuberant story of fighting for your right to determine your own destiny and triumphing beyond what you ever dreamed was possible. Zarna’s mantra becomes a call to action: It’s never too late. If Zarna can do it, you can, too.

Bonus content! At the end of the program, hear from Zarna's sons Brij and Veer about losing their Mom to comedy, but finding each other. Experience Shalabh's front row seat watching his wife take flight in mid-life. If you think you cried enough during the memoir, you're not done yet!

Cultural & Regional

Women

Memoir

Comedy

Marriage

Funny

Witty

Celebrity

Critic Reviews

“I knew This American Woman would be hilarious, because, well, Zarna is the funniest person I know. But I didn’t know it would also be the touching story of a brilliant and brave woman who defied all odds to make it in America. Her memoir will inspire you, make you cry, and laugh so hard it hurts.”—Mindy Kaling, award-winning actress and producer

“Zarna thinks like a lawyer, writes like a mother, and kills like a stand-up.”*—Tina Fey
*If she ever gets canceled on TikTok, I rescind this endorsement.

“Zarna Garg is a force of nature. This American Woman is a deeply honest and hilarious book about how you always win if you bet on yourself.”—Amy Poehler

“Zarna Garg is proof that the funniest voices come from the realest places. Her memoir is a powerhouse—funny, raw, and unputdownable. It’s a must-read for anyone who’s ever dreamed big or never been roasted by an Indian auntie.”—Lilly Singh, comedian and author of How to Be a Bawse

“Zarna, I’m lucky to be somebody who can say “I remember at the early stages how funny she was” and watch the rest of the world catch up to what I knew back then. A star is a star. You don’t discover stars; you just help them. I can’t wait for the world to read your book.”—Kevin Hart

“A laugh-out-loud, heartwarming story of one woman’s quest to survive and find independence. Zarna Garg went from being a stay-at-home immigrant mom to the first immigrant-mom comedian. She will make you feel that anything is possible.”—Padma Lakshmi

Most relevant

At times a sad tale told with such resilience. Laughs along the way to success. Brilliant.