I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir by Malaka Gharib
I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir by Malaka Gharib
Penguin Random House
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Shipping & Returns
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A coming-of-age story about identity, migration, and growing up between cultures.
I Was Their American Dream is the deeply personal and funny graphic memoir of Malaka Gharib, the daughter of a Filipino mother and an Egyptian father navigating life in the United States as a first-generation American.
Through sharp, expressive comics, Gharib captures what it means to code-switch between worlds: Filipino family parties and Catholic guilt, Egyptian traditions, and the pressure to assimilate into white suburban America. From awkward teen years and mall culture to questions of race, belonging, and the weight of your parents’ sacrifices, this is a story that hits home for anyone who has ever lived between identities.
At once intimate and universal, this award-winning memoir puts a human face on the immigrant experience and the generation raised in its wake.
Why We Love It at Hot Tropiks
- A powerful Filipino diaspora graphic memoir
- Speaks directly to the first-gen and third-culture experience
- Honest, funny, and painfully relatable
- Perfect for readers of Almost American Girl and American Born Chinese
This is the kind of book that gets passed around the family group chat.
Praise
Winner of the Arab American Book Award
Named one of the Best Books of the Year by NPR, The New York Public Library, and Kirkus Reviews
“Forthright and funny, Gharib fiercely claims her own American dream.” — Booklist
Perfect For
✔ Filipino-American & diaspora readers
✔ Fans of graphic memoirs
✔ Coming-of-age stories
✔ Readers exploring identity, culture, and migration

I absolutely loved the story of the first generation child of an immigrant family. It was rather enlightening as the author truly shows how immigrants are an integral part in society. Always have. Always will be.
Let customers speak for us
from 105 reviewsI absolutely loved the story of the first generation child of an immigrant family. It was rather enlightening as the author truly shows how immigrants are an integral part in society. Always have. Always will be.
Perfect gift for my chef nephew! So much cool stuff in general in the shop. Fast easy shipping too.
Excellent quality and very fast delivery.
Hot Tropics provides the best customer service.
Thanks Mr. Ocampo for this amazing survey, I read it almost all in one sitting--spooky, interesting, scary, and thought-provoking. A great read!
Very good story pero a bit short. Could have benefited from a bit more backstory on the husband's motivations as well as following some of his actions.
Great customer service.
Cant wait for the next volume!
Perfect gift for my video game loving brother!
Got this for a coworker who keeps talking about supot and this is it. It's her favorite work tote and I'm all here for it. I even got one for myself but in black.
If you say it wrong it means something else, but let's not go there...
The book arrived on time and without any problems. The book came with the original plastic wrapping and was extra wrapped with bubble wrap for protection during shipping. I got frequent email updates about my order which was helpful. The book itself is wonderful and I’m glad I ordered it through Hot Tropiks and supported a small business.
Galing na! I’ve been such a big fan following Ninong Ry on tiktok and I’m so excited to start making his recipes. The book is so beautifully laid out, funny, and easy to follow. Being a 1st gen Filipino-American, there are a lot of things that get lost from one generation to another (especially in cooking) and I feel Ninong Ry helps to fill those gaps. Thanks for the opportunity to get one of his books stateside!