Every moment of the articulate, outrageously frank and hilarious Zarna Garg's THIS AMERICAN WOMAN was a true delight. I laughed, murmured understanding and so enjoying getting to know an intelligent woman straddling cultures and newly aware of herself as worthwhile with gifts we all desperately desire. I could not cite any one part that was my favorite, but the beginning, with Garg stepping into the national stage with her idols was the rousing wonderful invitation to get to know an incredible woman and enjoy her stories. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

Bookworms, I recently spoke about my favorite spring books, and this was one of the ten titles I highlighted. I hope you'll check it out!

Comedian Zarna Garg lived several lives before falling into comedy in midlife and realizing it was where she'd belonged all along. Her memoir is candid, poignant, funny, and always entertaining. I loved this peek into her fascinating life.

Zarna Garg fled her comfortable lifestyle and her widower father to avoid an unwanted arranged marriage at age 14. She begged places to stay from friends and acquaintances in Mumbai, homeless. Desperate for food and shelter and tired of overstaying her welcome and never having security, she was returning home and on the verge of agreeing to be married off, until her long-hoped-for visa to the US came through. Instead of becoming a child bride, she ran from home and began a dramatically different new life in Akron, Ohio. In midlife, she reimagined her future again and became a hard-working comedian who opened for Tina Fey and Amy Poehler and then warranted her own headliner spots.

But along the way Zarna was not only a homeless runaway, but an Indian matchmaker, a law student, a stay-at-home mom, and a prizewinning screenwriter. On a dare from her daughter, she hopped onto an open mic stage, spouted off comedic takes on her life, and after lots of scrapping and scrambling, the rest was history.

In This American Woman, Garg offers an honest, funny account of overcoming sobering challenges and determining her own destiny after years of struggles and constant worries about being a burden on those who might help her. Her intense push to achieve is accompanied by doubt, periods of low self-esteem, and feelings of unworthiness that stem from her childhood.

At the very beginning the pacing felt a little uneven to me, but then Garg hit her stride, and I was taken with her frank narrative, her relentless optimism and drive, her self-deprecating accounts of her imperfections, and her poignant reflections.

I love an honest memoir that lets a reader into the author's inner world, and Zarna has lived a fascinating life that I wanted to learn more about. I laughed out loud repeatedly while I was reading this charming memoir by this strong, funny woman.

I received a prepublication edition of this title courtesy of Ballantine Books and NetGalley.

Thank you Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a title I was invited to view. Admittedly, I hadn't heard of Zarna Garg. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to read this book because she has just gained a new fan in me! Garg's story is an important one, especially in the climate we are living in with regards to immigration and the American dream. I am so excited to check out more of her comedy!

Thank you again for the ARC!

Zarna Garg details her life growing up in Mumbai, India and dealing with family expectations. When she leaves home after refusing an arranged marriage, she loses the status of being a daughter in a well-to-do family. She reveals her survival techniques before her arrival in the USA on a student visa and eventually marrying a man she chose. Interesting facts of what she went through to get her children into Manhattan private schools. After trying numerous careers, she finally discovers what she is meant to do - comedy.
An engaging read.
Thank you Netgalley & Random House Publishing Group | Ballantine Books for the advanced reader copy.
#This American Woman # RandomHouse #Ballantine #NetGalley

Truly a fun read, and my first from Zama Garg. First part of her life in India, leaves for America, and finally ends in the stand up comedy world of theater. Funny, tearful, enjoyable. Thank you NetGalley, and don't miss this one.

I loved this book and I think the scene where her first child, her daughter, is applying to preschool is set up so vividly and it has the wittiest of phrases that had me laughing out loud and showing that part of the book to many of my friends to show them just how funny it was. Zarna Garg is an incredible performer and hilarious and this book did not disappoint. I had not realised that her husband had lost his job during covid and that Zarna was busking in trains telling jokes with a face mask just to support her family. She's incredibly resilient and brilliant and funny.

I had never heard of Zarna Garg before reading her memoir, This American Woman: A One-in-a-Billion Memoir. But she has opened for Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, recorded her own comedy special, and gained followers on social media. And none of it would have been possible without the difficulties she faced in her childhood.

A teenage runaway from India who ended up escaping an arranged marriage by moving to Ohio with her sister, Garg always wanted to be herself - whether that meant going to law school, marrying for love, or fighting to get her kids the best possible education. Garg looks back on these times in her life with humor, and while the book did make me chuckle, there was a chapter that was so sweet, it made me cry.

Between each chapter are bite-sized life lessons that Garg has learned and is now passing on to her readers.

I may have never heard of Garg before reading this book, but you can bet that I'll be following her on social media and looking to see if she's got any comedy shows near me. This book would be a great one for book clubs to discuss, and it would make a great gift for the strong and funny women in your life.

This American Woman is published by Ballantine Books. I received a free e-ARC to review.

This memoir made me laugh out loud, shed tears, and look at our American ways in a different light.
Zarna grew up in a wealthy family in Mumbai, where her father ruled the roost.
The author introduced me to the customs that wealthy Indians followed - I never realized that Indian weddings were 3 days long!
She was especially close to her older brother, Suresh, who became somewhat of a father figure. The family was close until Zarna's Suresh's wife said the he was single-handedly supporting the family. Their father disowned him and his wife, and child. Zarna thought it would blow ove in a few days, but she didn't realize that she would not see her brother for 4 yrs.
When Zarna was 8 yrs old, she and her mother went to Akron, Ohio to visit her older sister. I had to laugh when she described the habits of Americans - who, when there was nothing to do, got into their big cars and ran "errands" or went somewhere to buy things. Her first experience at Chuck E Cheese had me laughing.
Zara lost her mother when she was young and her father arranged a marriage to a wealthy man when she was 14. She ran away from home until her friends could not have her stay with them. Eventually, she got through school and managed to get a law degree, marry a man of her choosing and lived in NYC. The book is sprinkled with photos of her family giving it a unique touch. She describes her break into comedy, and where she is today.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and am glad that I did learn about this creative, intelligent and very funny woman.

I saw Zarna Garg as the opener for Tina Fey and Amy Poehler and immediately requested Zarna’s book on NetGalley as I walked out of the theatre. Her stand up was hilarious but her book was even better. She alternates between being so funny and telling such emotional stories. I wasn’t expecting to be as moved as I was by her story and upbringing. My only complaint is that I wish it went more in depth in her life as a parent and more recent years. I’d love to see that as material for her second book. Overall, this is a really incredible story of resiliency and reinvention with a lot of emotions along the way. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Zarna is an American treasure, so wise and funny! The story of her young life is heartbreaking, but not tragic. Her relationship with her husband and family is so much fun to read about. There are many laugh out loud funny parts of the memoir. The section on the NYC private school is biting and hilarious. Can't wait for her next comedy special.

I wasn't familiar with Zarna Garg before her memoir, but now I'm a huge fan. In what could be a traumatic tale or poverty porn, Garg tells her story in an enthralling and humorous way. I flew through this book in two days thanks to Garg's engaging voice. Thanks to Net Galley for sending me an advance copy for review.

Thank you to Net Galley and Ballantine Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I enjoy memoirs and this one was light even though some of the subjects were serious and heavy. The author decided to become a comedian in middle age after immigrating from India to escape being married at 15 years old. It sounds like her life is very good but she recalls growing up in India, losing her mother, being set up in an arranged marriage by her father, and then escaping to the US to live with her sister for a more "normal" life. She was always a bit different from other Indian women and had a vision for herself whether it was to go to college, find a husband or try her hand at comedy. Her book is filled with good humor and all the courageous things she did to create a good life. I also listened to the audiobook to experience the author reading her own words. I highly recommend it!

📖: This American Woman: A One-In-A-Billion Memoir by Zarna Garg

I am floored by the woman that Zarna Aunty is. Her voice comes through so strongly throughout the book, making me root for her from the very first page.
I spent a good amount of time laughing and crying.

* Sunita ji, Suresh ji and Deepak ji deserve the world and more.
* Zarna Aunty, when our paths cross I owe you a hug.
* Zarna Aunty’s husband, MIL and kids are literally what dreams are made of (minus the bleaching lol iykyk)

This American Woman, has heart and so much spirit. Get your copy today and come back so we can talk about how amazing Zarna Garg is.

I want to thank NetGalley for the ARC 🫶🏽

This book is a wild ride. Zarna’s life is a rollercoaster of all the emotions you feel. Her escape from India was brave, meeting her husband was cute and funny (marriage ad is a bonus) and her journey to success is inspiring. I wish there were more i sights in the kids growing up. Last couple of chapters felt a little boring.

“The world is full of people looking for the next thing. Be the person who celebrates the thing they have.”

Zarna Garg is a force to be reckoned with. She is brash, bold, smart as a whip and is not afraid to pursue her passions (of which she has many!). Sometimes she doesn’t know what that might be but she plows head first into whatever she believes it might be.
Zarna started out her life as an outspoken girl from Mumbai and grew to a strong, powerful New York City woman. She was born into an affluent family in Mumbai but refused to agree to an arranged marriage at the young age of 14. She was disowned by her father following her mother’s death. She lived on the street while attending high school, begging her friends for food and a place to stay. Once she was granted a Visa, she moved to Ohio with her older sister. She then attended college and law school.
This memoir will make you laugh out loud and cry at other times. Zarna has such a dry sense of humor which audiences all over are loving. She began performing at the Comedy Cellar in NYC in October 2021. Three months later she had performed 76 shows within three months. She worked on her craft by watching other comedians, notably Kevin Hart. From him she learned that there is something powerful about giving another human being your complete attention.
Along the way, Zarna tried her hand at so many ventures- docent at a Jewish museum, lawyer, Indian matchmaker, screenwriter, lawyer, stay at home mom.
While I was unfamiliar with Zarna before reading her inspiring memoir, she certainly made me a fan with her life story. What a life she has led, beginning her comedy career in her 40’s. I am looking forward to seeing her on the Hulu comedy special.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Published on April 29, 2025.

This book was great!! The author is so funny. How she relates to her family and life in general is great. From such an awful beginning she accomplished a lot. She kept her sense of humor through it all.

I really enjoyed this book.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this advanced reader copy. This is my honest opinion.

She's a comedienne.

She's also a beloved sister, fierce mother, loving wife.

As much as the memoir is about her rise in the comedy circuit, it's about her relationships that simultaneously grounds and uplifts her. Her hardships in the economic sector as well as in the familial one may not be one that all her readers experience. But the emotions associated with the highs and lows will be ones readers can appreciate.

Her trajectory in a field that has embraced so many shapes, colors and heritages is an inspiring one. Even more so when she did so as a middle aged woman, unapologetically short and plump.

And, the thoughtful, heartfelt recognition she provided at the end is one often overlooked.

"“Time may pass, and distance may separate us, but nothing will ever break the bond between siblings.”

This ARC was provided by the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#ThisAmericanWoman #NetGalley

Wow - I may be the only one, but I didn't know who Zarna Garg was when I selected this book. Now I am a super fan! This book is amazing. It is hilarious but also really sad and heartfelt. Zarna grew up in India both in a privileged and very sad way, that went from her growing up with servants to being homeless and starving. She escaped an arranged marriage, and moved to the US as a teenager. She really brings out an emotional truth with her stories. But also laugh out loud relatable stories, like her description of her children's New York private school. I am now following Zarna and will watch and read everything she does!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I have to be honest. I had never heard of Zarna Garg before seeing this book available to request from NetGalley. But, being a fan of pop culture biographies and memoirs, I requested this book. I’ve also been seeing a lot of this book on various recommended reading lists.

This American Woman is a fascinating tale of Zarna’s path through life. She was an unusual Indian child in that she fought for her independence, talked back to people, and was called American because she read the newspaper daily. As is the custom in some parts of the world Zarna was due to marry someone of her father’s choosing, and she was like, “No way!” So she ran away and lived on the streets for two years, which was a fascinating yet incredibly harrowing story to listen to.

Garg eventually made her way to the United States on a student visa, eventually living with her sister, who lived in Cleveland. She met and fell in love and got married, and the couple had three children. Zarna shared stories about raising her children that made me laugh out loud a few times. Eventually, at the urging of one of her kids, she tries her hand at stand-up comedy and turns out to be a hit.

This American Woman is ideal for readers who enjoy candid and humorous autobiographies about overcoming personal obstacles to chase one’s dreams. Her life story is fascinating! Now I’m off to search for some of her work that can be found online.

Memoirs are not usually a favorite genre for me but this one was one that held my interest. Growing up in a wealthy home in Mumbai India, Zarna was the only child of the second wife of a successful businessman who already had children. Zarna’s father was all consumed with his work and her mother was exhausted raising her ready made family and being the dutiful wife. Both parents had little time for this young girl that couldn’t stop talking. When Zarna was ten years old her mother died. By the age of fourteen Zarna’s father begins to make marriage arrangements. Not one to be told when and whom to marry, Zarna runs away living with friends or on the streets. When she had exhausted her friends’ hospitality, Zarna eventually decides to go back home but her father never spoke to her again. Zarna always had the love and protection of her siblings and finds her way to Ohio where her brother and his wife have been living. It was interesting to see how Zarna navigated the cultures of the American world and the Indian world. She is a well educated woman who has a law degree. She readily admits that she isn’t very good at being a lawyer. She marries an Indian man who doesn’t expect or want her to be the traditional Indian woman. This is a story filled with love, humor, resilience, self discovery and finding your own way no matter the circumstances that get you there. I’ll definitely be recommending this one to friends and family. This ARC was provided by Random House Publisher - Ballantine Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.