drbooknerd 's review for:

Go Back to Where You Came From by Wajahat Ali

4.0

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

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I've been following Wajahat Ali when his play Domestic Crusaders made that big wave (though I have yet to even read through it) and since then, followed him on Twitter, where I've exchanged friendly sweets about his Warriors and my Blazers would have some classic battles. 

He's been a good voice for us South Asians and Muslims and as a journalist overall of course. This book had been sitting on my bookshelf for over a year, as I had ordered it just after it's released. I had just decided to read other more pressing books and thus this one got delayed. 

But I am so glad I read this during this point in the current environment of political turmoil, not to mention President Biden stepping down etc. 

I had no idea what Wajahat had gone through with his parents and having to try his all to keep the family business afloat and how he had nearly lost his life at a young age on multiple occasions - maybe he had mentioned this on social media and COVID messed with my memory, but in any case, this was a great read. 

OF course, there was lots of humor (especially when going through what we need to do be more Amreekan) as a h=minority in this county,  that I could relate to being a fellow south Asian and dealing with all the good and bad that our culture carries. As many of you may know, his infant daughter needed a liver transplant and I followed that online, but reading about it in this book as well as learning about his other personal struggles, really hit me - as I'm facing yet another life challenge myself (alhamdulillah of course)  - so the emotions were extra...emotional. 

So I think reading this at this time, both in the setting of current world events - who knew man of the moment, JD Vance would make an appearance in this book LOL - and my own personal journey, this book came at a very interesting and moving time for me.

This was a very entertaining, intriguing and moving read.