Yes, My Accent Is Real: And Some Other Things I Haven't Told You - Kunal Nayyar

I should mention that I am a big fan of The Big Bang Theory, so my review may seem a bit biased.

 

Nayyar was born in London and raised (from the age of 4 until he left at 18) in New Delhi. That is about the extent of the usual memoir structure you will find in this book. Nayyar took the rest of the book in a different direction than most memoirs - rather than a play-by-play of his life, there is snapshots and small moments described and his life lesson learned from those times. He is not a comedian by trade or training, but a business major who took theater/acting classes for all of his electives and went on to pursue acting in graduate school and in his career; however, he admits to feeling quite comfortable with his business degree being his Plan B.

 

Nayyar comes across in his writing as a sweet, smart, kind, joyful, and witty man who is comfortable in his own skin. I use witty rather than funny; although this book has some great one-liners and a bit of snark in places, it was not a humor book nor was it meant to be a humor book. People seems to mix up Nayyar with his character on screen and some are disappointed this isn't a "funny" book. It is meant to be Nayyar's way of sharing his life and Indian culture with his fans.

 

If I had to choose one part of the book I liked the most, it would have to be the chapter devoted to his traditional Indian wedding. So much partying, yet the love for his bride and their families was evident. It was also interesting to note that the role of Dr. Raj Koothrappali was 1) originally named Dave/David and 2) not of any particular ethnicity. The writers and producers of the show reworked the character to fit Nayyar after seeing him audition. And I am so glad they did. I could have done without the poem he wrote back in 2012.

 

Overall, a light and positive read. 4 stars.