This was a wonderful memoir. Now that I have finished this book, I am following Zarna; but, prior to receiving an email from Amy Jackson at Penguin Random House with a widget for this book in late January, I had not yet heard of her.

Zarna tells her story in a satisfying, linear way, with manageable chapters and wonderful photographs in the book to illustrate various parts of her life and family. I really wish I would have had access to an audiobook version of this, particularly if Zarna reads it herself. I think hearing her voice tell this story would have hit different and been even better.

This story was compelling and heartwarming and uplifting. I cried a couple of times but in a very good way. I feel like I know Zarna Garg and she and I would be very good friends. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys celebrity memoirs, anyone who has ever struggled, and anyone who has been a mother.

I knew nothing about Zaria Garg when I started the book. In fact I don’t even remember how the book came to be on my TBR shelf. But I am so glad I took a chance on the book. It was a very uplifting read and ultimately a funny one. I loved the first part of the book when Zarna lived in India. Her life as a young Indian girl was so different from mine in the U.S and was amazing to read about. I only wish she had included more about her getting started as a comedian. Now I plan to watch her specials and upcoming movie.

I never know how to rate an autobiography/memoir type story because I feel bad rating how someone lived their lives. But I was sent this book as a read now and didn’t know who this person was, but I enjoyed the story and actually found her story about her personal life more enjoyable than reading about her comedy career. All in all it was a good read and I’d recommend 😊

I had never heard of Zarna Garg, but the description sounded interesting and I love a good memoir. The story of Zarna’s life is both heartbreaking and hilarious, from a kid in India who just didn’t fit in to tiger-mom in America who just didn’t fit in. Through it all, she used her wit and determination to make it past one challenge after another.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

I knew of Zarna Garg and watched some of her comedy before. She definitely captures what it’s like to be an Indian in her comedy and much of that is reflected in her memoir too. Her sense of humor is readily apparent in her writing style so it made for an easy read. And the pictures really made this memoir even better.

My two complaints are that (1) she makes certain statements about life and expectations in India that are more of a reflection of her childhood than Indian norms, but non-Indian readers may make assumptions about India and Indians as a result. Is is Zarna’s responsibility to educate those readers about all of the nuances of being Indian? Not at all, but I do wish it was a little clearer in her writing that her statements are facts about her life - not everyone’s life - in India. And (2) the book provides a fair amount of detail about her early life and I wish she shared a little bit more about raising her kids and her path to becoming a comedian. Yes, I know there was a decent amount about the kids’ socks and private schools, and the various careers she pursued on the way to comedy. But I wanted more about her interactions with her kids and how she used that to develop her short videos on social media. It’s what I think really catapulted her fame within the Indian community on IG and TikTok.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

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.

I’m never really sure how to review a biography, autobiography or memoir. Do I base the review on their writing style? Their life? How the book made me feel?
This was certainly a fun read. Can’t even lie I had never heard of her before, but the cover called me in. It was interesting to learn of her upbringing and culture. It was fun to watch her come into her own. And at some point soon, I will definitely have to check out one Zarna’s comedy specials.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this for my honest review

This American Woman: A One-In-A-Billion Memoir by Zarna Garg is a profoundly candid and uproarious account that illustrates the power of self-belief. Through her witty and insightful storytelling, Garg demonstrates that success is inevitable when you have faith in yourself.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I enjoyed This American Woman. I actually went into the book not even knowing who Zarna Garg was, but I liked the book. I will say that I liked the first two thirds of the book better than the ending. I enjoyed the parts about her personal like more than the parts about her comedy career.

This is the story of Zarna Garg, a woman born in India who moves to the US as a teenager. This memoir tells us how Zarna was born in Mumbai as the youngest child in a family that apparently wasn’t expecting another child. She has a brother she adores and follows around everywhere. She is mainly ignored by her father and scolded for wanting to read newspapers and speak her mind. Her mother dies and her father wants to marry her off at the age of 14 - which she totally can’t accept, so she runs away. Her older sister is now living in Ohio with her doctor husband and wants Zarna to come live with her but Zarna must get a visa which takes a long time. After the long wait she goes to Ohio and gets to go to college and law school. As she tells her story, you really feel the ups and downs she experiences. Zarna eventually gets married, has kids, tries numerous careers until she finally becomes a stand-up comedian in her 40’s. I wasn’t really familiar with her, but based on the humor with which she writes, I will be checking out her comedy shows and special. I love her take on life and her never give up attitude. I give the book 5 stars. It’s a fast read that will leave you often smiling and chuckling.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on April 29, 2025.

After finishing this amazing book, I couldn't resist looking up Zarna Garg so I could watch some of her comedy. I ran across a clip of her on Seth Meyer's show, where she is describing working with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler but (not having grown up on SNL) she didn't know who Steve Martin was. Well, that's kind of how I feel right now - because Garg and I don't travel in the same social media circles, I had no idea she was a Very Big Deal. Even though she has only been in comedy for less than ten years, her resume is impressive: millions of social media followers, billions of views of her standup, comedy specials on Prime, a family podcast, numerous talk show appearances, and now, this book.

In This American Woman, Garg talks about her life, from growing up in Mumbai, leaving her parents after refusing an arranged marriage, marrying her husband, caring for her three children. After her husband lost his job in the fallout of the COVID epidemic, she tried several entrepreneurial ventures, all of which failed miserably. It wasn't until her eldest daughter Zoya suggested she try standup comedy that something clicked.

I was expecting a lot of laugh-out-loud moments in this book, but it wasn't that. Yes, there were plenty of laughs, but her story is also a warm and sometimes heartbreaking one. She never goes for the cheap punch line, but her comedy hits home because we can recognize it as authentic. She talks quite a bit about the differences between Indian and American life ("I never watched SNL - in India, Saturdays are for studying"). She doesn't take herself too seriously, but at the same time, she is willing to expose herself and her life to us in a way that many comics don't - or can't - do.

You can bet that Zarna Garg is on my radar now. Many thanks to Ballantine and NetGalley for allowing me to read this wonderful book in exchange for my honest review.

While most people know her as a standup comedian-and an excellent one-this book is a memoir of ALL she went through to get where she is! It’s really well written and a pleasure to read.

I was unfamiliar with Zarna until I heard Amy Poehler mention her on a new podcast (after which I immediately downloaded Zarna’s memoir!). This is an entertaining, funny, and touching read. I loved getting to know Zarna and recommend this to anyone in the mood for a diverting and inspiring read.

Thank you to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

This was so good! Zarna Garg’s journey from would-be child bride to stand-up comedian is full of energy and ambition. I didn’t know much about her before this, but now I want to watch her comedy. I think this book would be fantastic on audio so you could hear her tell it herself - I'll definitely be doing so after publication day.

Before I decided to read an advance copy of this book, I watched Zarna's comedy special, and I knew I wanted to know more about her. I found her memoir a fascinating read. I enjoyed learning about the cultural differences of life in India versus the United States and with life for Indian Americans. I particularly liked her insights into the American public and private school systems. She does a wonderful job bringing to life both her family in India and the family she created in the United States. Her perseverance in dealing with the many obstacles in her life is admirable. In the book, she managed to tell her readers about the difficulties in her life in a way that diffused them by adding humor. I also liked the quotes before each new chapter. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and flew through it. Despite some of the challenging things in her life, she made the book very entertaining. I highly recommend it.

I usually stick with fiction, but there was something about this book that called to me. I am so glad I listened to my inner voice because this was the most intriguing book I have read this year.

I had never heard of Zarna Garg, but I love books set in other countries, especially those set in India. But this book was so much more than being about the life of a comedian. It was the story of a late-in-life daughter who could not grasp the fact that she was unique. I think that her father had some mental issues going on, which led to Zarna leaving home at a very young age. But you must read this book to understand what life was like, what the culture was like (If you are not from India, of course), what it was like to maybe be married off at 14.

Zarna's trip to her comedic career was remarkable. This strong and powerful woman may have come a little later in life to knowing what would fulfill her, but once she knew, she ran into it headfirst and flourished.

I laughed, and I laughed a lot reading this memoir but I also cried for all the crap Zarna had to put up with. Yes, I realize it's a different culture from the one I grew up with, so I can only look at it through my American eyes. But still, I had to cry when I read of what she went through living some of her life on the streets.

I am now going to have to Google this funny woman and see what all the hubbub is all about. If it is more comical than some of the things I read in this book, then I might have to stock up on Depends!

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Ballantine Books, the author, and NetGalley.
Expected publication date is April 29th.

I had a brief introduction to Zarna Garg when she would appear on my FYP page on Tik Tok. I thought the clips I saw of her were hilarious. This memoir is of Zarna’s life growing up in India, her family dynamics and then her life in America. I thought it was moving, insightful and times funny. I highly recommend this memoir to anyone. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the advanced reader copy!

Do you know who Zarna Garg is? If not, she is someone worth learning about. Born in India, Garg was a stay-at-home mom for sixteen years before she tried her hand at standup comedy in her 40s. It didn't take long for Garg to gain notoriety for her hilarious routines, which include stories about her family and Indian culture. Following the success with her first TV special on Prime and a podcast featuring her husband and three children, Garg has now written This American Woman: A One-In-A-Billion Memoir. It's both heartfelt and incredibly funny.

Zarna Garg, born into an affluent family in Mumbai, was outspoken and had an independent nature from a young age. After her three older siblings were married, her father decided it was time for fourteen-year-old Zarna to marry and he began interviewing suitable, wealthy young men. As this was unacceptable to Zarna, she fled to Akron, Ohio, to live with her sister. This captivating memoir details her life in America, including her education, meeting her husband, starting a family, and their eventual encouragement to pursue stand-up comedy.

This was such an enjoyable book. Since reading it, I've been watching tons of Garg's comedy clips and interviews online. She is a fresh and welcome addition to the comedy scene. Her timing is impeccable. She's smart as a whip and undoubtedly an inspiration to women. Her follow-up TV special, Practical People Win, hits Hulu in 2025 with a sitcom in development. Zarna Garg seems unstoppable.

4.5 stars.

I had not heard of Zarna Garg until Amy Poehler had her on her podcast the other day and I was like, wait, I have a book in my queue by her... and it clicked. She's hilarious, insightful and has a helluva story to tell. The book is poignant and ambitious. I think if she gets on the right circuit, she'll explode in a big way.

Prior to reading this book I had never heard of Larna Garg so this was a brilliant introduction to her. It begins with her life as a daughter of a very successful businessman in Mumbai, India. At age 14 her father is determined to marry her off to a much older and successful businessman. She resists and when she does she is ejected from the family and becomes homeless and has no job. She struggles and the reader experiences her loss and disappointments. Her dream is to come to America and when she does she has to find her way without much family or many breaks but she tries hard and at age forty meets her future as a standup comedian. She has traveled the world and achieved her goals. As the story progresses I laughed with her, felt her pain, and cheered her successes. I do recommend this book to readers even if they do not know her. By the end of the book you will indeed know who she is. I love the cover of this book.

I wish to thank Net Galley and Random House Publishers – Ballantine Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.