📖: 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.

I had no idea who Zarna was and I'm glad I didn't. Maybe it would have colored my opinion of this book, maybe not. But I had a great time with this. I don't usually read memoirs so there were times when I rolled my eyes but overall a fun read

Thanks to @randomhouse for the gifted e-ARC and to @prhaudio for the ALC!

I cannot say I was a Zarna fan before receiving this book. I had seen a few reels come across my feed on Instagram (I’m too old for TikTok. lol) but I didn’t know anything about her. However I really enjoyed her memoir.

Zarna has a unique story. Although she was born into a wealthy Indian family, she experienced homelessness as a teen because she refused the arranged marriage her father brokered. Eventually she was able to flee to America on a student visa, supported by her older sister who lived in Ohio. She found her own husband via the internet before online dating was a thing. And she set out to raise the perfect American children. But it wasn’t until her daughter told her to try comedy that she finally found her niche.

I love memoirs because I love to listen to people tell their stories. Getting inside someone else’s head and seeing what life is like for them is one of my favorite reasons to read. Zarna opened my eyes not only to Indian culture but also New York Upper East Side life. And her inside information on what it’s like to work in comedy was new to me as well.

I enjoyed both the ebook and the audiobook of this one. The ebook has lots of pictures of the author and her family. But the audiobook contains bonus essays read by the author’s husband and children! So whichever way you go you’ll get some treats.

Whether you’re a long-time fan or not, check out this memoir today and enjoy Zaria’s unique style.

“This American Woman” by Zarna Garg
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓

My husband and I went to see Tina Fey and Amy Poehler a few months ago and we were blown away by their opening act, @zarnagarg . I had tears of laughter streaming down my face within the first 3 minutes of her set and I knew I would be immediately doing a deep dive on her once I got home. To my surprise, I already had the ARC of her memoir without realizing who she was. After reading it, I am even more in love with her. Her book is equal parts heart wrenching and hilarious. She has had an intense, traumatic life, but she remains her most authentic self through it all and that’s why everyone loves her. I cannot recommend this book and all of her specials, shows, online content enough. She’s the real deal!

Zarna Garg has written an astonishing life story.
A funny, engaging and relatable read. Garg wrote a fascinating memoir.
From 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.
This American Woman is an energetic story of fighting for your right to determine your own destiny and triumphing beyond what you ever dreamed was possible

I rarely give 5 stars,but this book really deserves it. I also rarely read memoirs, and indeed, I didn't even realize when I got this book on NetGalley that I have been watching Zarna online for years.
What a life she has led.
Her beginnings in life as the daughter of a rich man's second wife, she was very loved by her half siblings, who protected her from the frequent wrath of her unreasonable father. Her mother died when she was 10, and when she was 14, her father began looking for a husband for her. This is not unusual, apparently, even today.
Zarna ran away and lived a rough existence for 2 years until she finally got a student visa and came to live with her sister in Cleveland.
In this funny but sometimes sad memoir, we learn how Zarna dealt with life. The chapter on her wedding is sometimes unbelievable, but she did marry for love. We learn about her children and her life in Manhattan.
The humor that she brings to her life and now her stand-up comedy.
I enjoyed her journey as a girl, wife, mother, and finally, a successful stand-up comedian. A fortune teller predicted she would be a success if she talked and talked, and she does she is.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. These are my honest opinions. Read the book and go watch some Zarna videos.

I have to admit that I was unfamiliar with this comedian but I enjoy memoirs and the book cover definitely caught my attention. Reading about Zarna and her life journey was fascinating and inspirational. I really enjoyed the way that she incorporated her difficult childhood story into the culture of her family and country. Her spunk helped her survive and thrive in spite of losing her mother, rejection by her father and being a homeless teen in India. Her dating and marriage stories are surely one of a kind and she tells these stories in such humorous and entertaining ways. I was appalled by her descriptions of the educational system in NYC but I guess I learned something about that particular culture in my own country also. Since reading the book, I have watched Zarna’s video, One in a Billion so have seen what a talented comedian she has become through very hard work and sticking with her dreams in spite of all the doubts and insecurities that she describes in her book. I found the book’s pacing a little choppy at times but really enjoyed it overall and will be watching more of Zarna’s videos.

I don’t love giving memoirs a rating, but since this was an advanced copy, it is part of my duty. This is the story of Zarna’a life from childhood to present day. I really enjoyed reading about the parts of her life in India and how different it is from what I know, but I enjoyed even more the parts in America where she was paving her own way to success. Zarna tells her story in a very entertaining, humorous way (which is why she is a comedian, of course!). I didn’t know who she was before this, but I love a good memoir, so thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this. I will be following her a little bit more closely now.

This memoir was hilarious. I have to admit, I had never heard of Zarna before this, but now I want to find all of her videos and watch everything she has done. She is amazing. She had a great childhood, despite her formidible father, but after her mother died, things went downhill. Her father tried to marry her off when she was fourteen, so she ran away, and she lived on the streets of Mumbai, before she finally got her student visa and fled to Akron, Ohio to live with her older sister. On Zarna’s very American quest to find herself and her calling, she threw herself wholeheartedly into roles like lawyer, crazy perfectionist stay-at-home mom, Indian matchmaker, prizewinning screenwriter, and entrepreneur. It wasn’t until a dare led her to a stand-up comedy open mic that Zarna finally found her calling. This book kept me laughing out loud, and I repeatedly found myself reading bits aloud to my daughter. If you are in need of a good laugh - and let's face it, who isn't these days - then you should definitely check this out!

Need a quick, uplifting read? Zarna Gargg’s story hit the spot! Jump in to find out what she went through to become who she is today, and of course, laugh along the way — she is a lovely comedians after all!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been picking up a lot of autobiographies lately of individuals I’m only vaguely familiar with. I’m aware this is a strange way to tackle autobiographies, but it worked really well with this one. You don’t need to know Zarna Garg well in order to enjoy this book. There is a nicely created narrative flow underlying the book, and the tone is light but meaningful. Overall a good book, well written, and a really interesting angle on self discovery, building up your sense of self, and the American versus Indian interpretation of individualism.

Such a funny and touching story about how she managed to escape becoming a child bride and ended up being a stand up comic in the US- as one does!

This is Zarna's journey from being born in India and eventually, the struggles, living from couch to couch when her father at 14 wanted her to marry so he could be free, to going to university, getting married, having a family, creating careers for herself. Each thing that she went through finally brought her to where she could be her authentic self. I had never heard of her before reading the book, but I got to know her through her story. Hope others read her story, and sees that if you don't give up, each thing is a stepping stone to something else. It gives me a little courage.
I received an ARC from Ballantine Books through NetGalley. I don't usually read memoirs, but this one caught my attention, and I will take a lot of what she wrote with me.