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

I bought this book to learn more about this talented actor, and was hoping his writing would be as clever as his acting. It is. This was a fun read. I
think he should write more. He reminds me of Dave Barry, who is my all-time favorite humor writer.

I really enjoyed reading this. Nice small stories but full of content. I learned a lot but also simply enjoyed the read. Kind of sad it is over i would have liked more about Neha and life after marriage.

4 Platypires for Yes, My Accent Is Real: and Some Other Things I Haven't Told You by Kundal Nayyar

I will be completely honest. I had only seen a few episodes of The Big Bang Theory before I read this book. I know, I know. I'm awful. I did enjoy the episodes I did see but I am awful about watching live TV and the show isn't on Netflix. I have since remedied the situation and have binged watched seasons of the show thanks to Sling TV. I love it.
Now, all that being said, I really wasn't family with Kunal Nayyar. I think the title is was drew me into picking up the audio book. I truly was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it. Nayyar just radiates optimism and I felt he is truly a nice guy.
After learning his story, I have since become a fan and wish him the best out of life.
I highly recommend this book for others to read even if you're not a fan of The Big Bang Theory.

This was so hilarious, especially the audio recording narrated by the author himself. Hearing his cute accent in the narration made it so special. First I got the Kindle book, but then noticed there was an audio version too. So I completely listened to the audiobook, didn't even open the ebook. (As I'm sure most people do, I listen to the audiobook during the day when I'm exercising or doing housework, then pick up the story in the ebook at night before I go to sleep.) I enjoyed the stories about Kunal's time in India (growing up and his huge wedding). The info about the Indian customs and culture were very interesting because I hadn't heard of most of them. His immigrant story about studying hard (okay, maybe not all of the time) and working menial jobs to support himself as an actor were a familiar story, but of course, it has his own twist to it.

I read a sample story from his pleasant, breezy memoir. It was about growing up in New Delhi and learning to kiss from TV's Winnie Cooper (Danica McKellar) character (whom he later met over a decade later) and naively thinking that the older teenaged girl who kissed him was now his girlfriend. I later heard Kunal Nayyar read from this book at the 2015 Miami Book Fair. The story he selected was about trying to seduce a girl at a holiday dinner in college, and heading to her room with a VHS tape of Ghost. So I approached this book with hesitation, since I would truly cringe if most stories were about a naive, shy, fumbling international student trying to score dates and sex. Fortunately, most of the stories in the collection deal with school and career, and are conversational, painfully honest, and cutely funny.

In one poignant story, he leaves India for an American college and his father gives him a prized book by Kahlil Gibran as a parting gift. His father is filled with good advice. In another story he arrives in Portland and his dorm mate turns out to be a giant basketball player from France. We are treated to a story on how they bonded and grew together. Through his stories we watch - as a drama major - he auditions for Cabaret and doesnt even get a stand-by role; auditions for another role the next year; improves his skills; learns to be a waiter and a janitor; and scores a slot in drama grad school. The reader, especially if they are a drama student, can learn from his failures and sucesses as he makes it to Washington, DC; an Apple Store on Fifth Avenue; and finally LA, East LA, and finally the Hollywood of Chuck Lorre from which we know him.

Kunal Nayyar, who plays astrophysicist Raj Koothrappali on The Big Bang Theory, has written a breezy, slim book that he describes as a “joyride of heartbreak, failure, culture shock and triumph.”

Nayyar was born in London, but moved to India at age four. He came to the United States in 1999 at age 18 to attend the University of Portland (Oregon). His goal was to get a business degree, but he auditioned for a college play as a freshman as a way to meet good-looking women.

Fitting in on campus and making friends was difficult for Nayyar. Being part of the theater group helped. Although he was panned in his first role as a butler, he knew acting was what he wanted to do, and he was determined to improve.

Nayyar tells some funny stories about dating, but the tone of the book is more serious than funny.

His three-minute tryout for theater graduate school (he was accepted by Temple University), his audition for The Big Bang Theory, his dating a former Miss India and his Indian wedding make up the final third of the book.

There’s nothing really about The Big Bang Theory after he receives the part, or the cast members.

If you’re interested in knowing more about Kunal Nayyar, this book will be worth your time. But, if you’re looking for a barrel of laughs, you may be disappointed.

Okay I have a disclaimer at the very beginning! I am not one of the ‘fans’ of The Big Bang Theory. I mean, of course I know about the tv show and I have actually watched quite a few episodes but I do not watch it every week religiously. If there’s nothing else to do, I just might watch another episode – and it is because of Raj (Kunal Nayyar) It is not every day that you get to see an Indian playing one of lead characters on an international series (Okay so Priyanka Chopra is making waves – but only recently). So, the book piqued my interest as I wanted to know about his experience.

This book may be autobiographical, but is far from an autobiography. In his own words “This is a collection of stories from my life." And a collection of stories it is! From talking about business management courses to acting classes, from cleaning toilets to working in an IT firm, from crushes to love, from kissing to wedding, from sports to tv series, from traditions to lectures, Kunal Nayyar talks about it all. Each chapter from this book could be in fact counted as a chapter in his life. The way he cares it all makes you believe in the book – which it in fact full of facts rather than fiction.

Kunal Nayyar catches your attention with his with right from the preface of the book and doesn’t let go till the end. The way he has narrated these stories makes you like him instantly. He has managed to maintain a balance in his narration where nothing feels exaggerated nor embellished. The best part of it all is the way he has delivered it all with a pinch of wit which is sometime even self-deprecating. His voice feels humble and honest throughout. And yes, his accent is real ;)

I'm going to be perfectly honest here, folks.

Yes, I am a BIG fan of The Big Bang Theory.
Yes, Kunal Nayyar is a very charming and sweet guy who comes across like your dorky, awkward brother in this book.

However...

This book is nowhere near the level of Bossypants or Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?. It simply isn't. It isn't nearly as funny (while I sort of grinned internally at parts, I never came close to laughing out loud), and it feels more choppy and less memorable.

Kunal Nayyar brings readers many, many stories from his past. Most have to do with his childhood in India, and a huge portion have to do with his misadventures in dating. Some of the stories are as short as a page or two, others are longer and more detailed, like the one where he meets his wife. Kunal appears to readers as he probably is in real life; a nice, easygoing guy who is fun to be around.

Though most of the book is pleasant reading, none of it is really, really good stuff. His little quips are mildly amusing but they stop short of being something I'll smile at while thinking on the book later. Also, if you are reading this book hoping to get lots of insider stories about The Big Bang Theory, you might be disappointed. He doesn't go into too much detail about the show or his fellow cast members.

Overall, this was an easy, enjoyable read, and if you are a big fan of Kunal's I'm sure you will enjoy learning a little more about him.

**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

The Big Bang theory , Raj Kuthrapalli.
The mute guy, can he write books. That was the first doubt i had when i saw this book on my GoodReads stream.

Very tentatively i bought the book and started reading. I was surprised and got into the book from 1st chapter onwards.

The book describes some incidents and presents growth of Kunal.
Most of the chapters are beautiful and I love the spray of Humor all the around the book.

My favorite being the chapter "Dinner with dad".

Its a fun rid, smooth flowing book which is easy on language.

I loved the book and give it 4/5

This book was somewhat disappointing. I like Nayyar as an actor on the show, but as a writer he's got a way to go. The book is filled with way tooo many trivial and dull stories, often with too much information-- e.g."I would have held her hand if it were covered in pee!" (referring to an adult crush)

Surprisingly, he barely mentions anything about the other actors on the show--I'm sure a lot of readers wanted to know how all of them get along in real life, etc.-- (Do they really like science fiction movies and comic books,etc.) On the positive side, there were a few amusing anecdotes and recollections of his childhood, but these moments aren't enough to justify getting the book.

I ended up getting the CDs. I needed something to listen to while packing up my apartment for my move. Hearing it in his voice was wonderful. A delightful read, pretty funny and very well written. A few naughty words but not enough to toss me out of his story.

Kunal writes exactly like his character, Raj. I had no real idea how he got to be in "The Big Bang Thoery," or what he had to go through to get to this part to this part of his life. Really a fast and fun read.

I absolutely loved this book and sort of wanted to hug Kunal after reading it. He really comes across as an extremely decent and sincere human being. I am a HUGE fan of "'The Big Bang Theory" but the most touching and interesting parts of the book are the parts in which he doesn't talk about Hollywood or acting but about his family, his friends, and life in India. It's such a cliché to say but I have to say it anyway: this book shows that sometimes, nice guys really do finish first.

Enjoyed every minute of this read. It was funny, and thoughtful. Reading Kunal Nayyar's book was like sitting down and having a chat with him. I read this book in a day, and was disappointed that I could keep reading. What a great book.

Raj was my favorite character on "The Big Bang Theory" for the majority of seasons, so I really wanted to read Nayyar's memoir to get a sense of who he is outside of his character on the show. I have seen him in TV interviews, and he is always pretty charming and funny. This memoir did not make him any less so. He is quite witty and his story was fun and mostly light-hearted. I really enjoyed reading it and actually kept my copy to read again or loan out to friends.