Yes, my accent is real And some other things I haven't told you

As Nayyar says himself, this book isn't so much a memoir as a collection of stories and lessons learned. The 32-year-old actor details his youth in India, his family, and his shift from business major to actor during his college years in Portland, OR. He takes readers through his relatable awkward stage into his blossoming confidence in regards to life and love. As a child and young man, Nayyar fell in and out of love at the drop of a hat, but this trait just makes him more endearing. His dogged persistence in pursuing acting as his passion is admirable to the end. Readers will feel a great deal of satisfaction when they read firsthand his experience landing a role on The Big Bang Theory-even though they'll see it coming, it's still a pleasure to read how such a lovely man got what he deserved. The author's charming style will keep readers invested, while the portrait of his family is beguiling in its sweetness and sincerity. VERDICT A must for those who enjoyed Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? or Judd Apatow's Sick in the Head.-Kristen Droesch, Library Journal © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

An amiable collection of reminiscences by the Indian actor about girls, school, jobs, family, and acting. Though Nayyar is best (or even only) known for his comic role in the television series The Big Bang Theory, this book debut isn't a collection of extended bits and sketches, like so many by comedians are. The author doesn't try too hard to be funny, which is part of his charm. Nayyar admits from the outset that he hasn't lived long enough or accomplished enough to justify a memoir: "I'm not a president, or an astronaut, or a Kardashian. This is a collection of stories from my life." Its target readership is fans of the series and his geeky character featured on it, but its conversational tone will also appeal to anyone who wants to read about a regular guy, Indian style. Even there, his life was saturated with American media, as reflected in the opening essay, "Everything I Know About Kissing I Learned from Winnie Cooper," which tells how watching The Wonder Years and becoming infatuated with its young actress while growing up prepared him for his own first kiss and how life came full circle when his acting career gave him the chance to kiss the real actress. When he pursued his education in America, he initially majored in business and planned a marketing career, though he dabbled in acting in order to meet girls. As the author tells it, his romantic life existed mainly in his head, though his first real girlfriend was an acting student who was the love of the campus, and his marriage to a former Miss India ends the book. Yes, Nayyar's been a lucky guy whose first real audition resulted in the big break that brought him to TV and resulted in this book, but his explanation reflects his experience: "Every person has a different journey. But no one has an easy one." Nice guy; nice book. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Yes, My Accent Is Real Preface SOMETIMES PEOPLE ASK ME, "WHY are you writing a memoir? You're only thirty-four." This is not a memoir. I'm not a president, or an astronaut, or a Kardashian. This is a collection of stories from my life. It is not an "I was born in . . ." type of book. I was born in London and raised in New Delhi. When I was eighteen, after maneuvering my way through a billion people and a few cows, I I moved to Portland, Oregon, where I studied business, cleaned toilets, lied my way into an IT job, and fell in love twenty-seven times. I went on to get my master's in acting in Philadelphia, auditioned for a play in the basement of an Apple Store in New York City, and spent four hours a day commuting on a bus in Los Angeles. Somehow this crazy journey landed me on a little television show called The Big Bang Theory. Here are some things that happened to me along the way. I . Obligatory cow joke. The first of many. Excerpted from Yes, My Accent Is Real: And Some Other Things I Haven't Told You by Kunal Nayyar All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.