How to American – An Immigrant’s Guide to Disappointing Your Parents
This article will discuss the story of Jimmy O. Yang and give you tips on how to disappoint your parents. It will also cover the importance of pursuing the American dream.
Jimmy O. Yang
When a 13-year-old boy is emigrating from Hong Kong to Los Angeles, he has a lot to learn. That’s the case for Jimmy O. Yang, whose memoir How to American: An Immigrant’s Guide to Disappointing Your Parents is filled with a host of lessons about life, culture, and the American dream.
From being raised in a Chinese-American home to attending college and then pursuing a career in standup comedy, the author has lived a very different life from his parents. And this book chronicles the journey.
For example, he recounts his early days playing competitive ping pong in Hong Kong, his first late-night stand-up appearance on the Arsenio Hall Show, his trips to Hawaii, and his early years in Los Angeles. He also describes how he grew up with an interest in hip-hop. After working as a used car salesman, he decided to make his way in the standup scene.
In addition to a career in standup, Yang has also appeared in a number of TV shows and movies, including Space Force, Patriot’s Day, Love Hard, Fresh Off the Boat, and Life of the Party. He’s currently recurring on TruTV comedy series Those Who Can’t.
Yang has a unique voice and has never held back from sharing his feelings. His honesty is refreshing. Unlike other Asian-American comedians, he is not trying to be “model minority” in a stereotypical way. But he’s not the stereotypical ostrich either, embracing his American identity and accepting his own shortcomings.
As an Asian-American immigrant, he’s had to learn the hard way how to navigate the complicated and often frightful world of the American dream. With his humor, he aims to make you laugh, while also shedding light on the intricacies of being an Asian-American in the United States.
As Yang notes, artistic career paths can be unreliable. It’s a risk to disappoint your parents. However, in the end, you’ll have to take your chances and do what you love.
This memoir is a fun and enjoyable read. Whether you’re an aspiring actor, comedian, or just a fan of Silicon Valley, this is a good book to have on hand.
His story
I don’t know about you but I’m a millennial, which means I’m still in the throes of figuring out what the hell I am. For the first time in my adult life, I’ve moved out of my parents’ house and into my own apartment. While I’ve had to deal with the usual suspects, namely my roommate, my sexiest mate, and my aforementioned roommate, the best thing about moving out of my childhood home is that I have my own space and can start to think about where I want to be ten years down the road. In addition to that, I’m now a proud US citizen, which is a whole other story. Lastly, and most importantly, I’ve got a job. Hence, I’m able to write this review, which is a feat in itself.
There are plenty of books out there about living the good life, but the good news is that I’ve come across some of the more entertaining titles. One of the best is “How to American”, by Jimmy O. Yang, a self-described Chinese immigrant. The book lays out a number of steps to follow to make sure that your new life in America is a breeze, and not a nightmare. It’s a great read, and I’d recommend it to anyone in the market for an informative primer on the country that is ours.
My favorite is the book’s foreword, which is written by a man who knows his stuff. Like the rest of the scribe, I had the opportunity to learn about the man’s life as an immigrant, which made for some of the most interesting reading material.
His advice on pursuing the American dream
If you’ve ever been disappointed by your parents or other family members for trying to pursue your dreams in the American way, this book is for you. It’s a fun read and contains a wealth of advice about the American dream and how to follow your heart.
Author Jimmy O. Yang was born in Hong Kong and moved to Los Angeles with his family to pursue his dreams. He now has a stand-up comedy career and an acting career. Often artistic careers are messy and unpredictable. However, he’s found a way to make his dreams come true. His passion for Hollywood is what got him started, but he now lives in a foreign land where English is not his first language. How to American reveals the challenges he faces and how he learned to make his dreams come true.
He also offers tips about how to navigate a new culture. This is a very important lesson if you’re an immigrant. Many new immigrants find it difficult to adjust to a new life. Getting your parents to understand your new culture can be a huge hurdle, and O. Yang gives you the tools to overcome it.
There are many books out there about the American dream, but How to American is one of the few that will actually help you reach your goals. The author has been there and done it. He is a member of the Teen Library Council at the Brampton Library. You can check out his book at the library.