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Find Another Dream
Find Another Dream, written and performed by Maysoon Zayid, is the true story of how a Muslim Jersey girl with cerebral palsy creates her own path to stardom.
The daughter of Palestinian immigrants, as a child she dreamed of one day dancing on Broadway. As a teen, a bubble-bursting choreographer told her to "find another dream", so she set her sights on becoming a soap star, undeterred by the fact that the odds were against her. While chasing fame, she found her voice in stand-up comedy, performing in multiple languages in sold-out shows all over the world.
When not touring, Maysoon Zayid is a passionate advocate who fights for access to education for disabled students worldwide and battles bullying online. In this Audible Original x Hello Sunshine, Maysoon tells tales of family, friendship, love, and career. She takes us on a hilarious, poignant journey of failures and successes. When her dreams turn into nightmares, she finds another dream until finally, the one she least expected comes true.
The daughter of Palestinian immigrants, as a child she dreamed of one day dancing on Broadway. As a teen, a bubble-bursting choreographer told her to "find another dream", so she set her sights on becoming a soap star, undeterred by the fact that the odds were against her. While chasing fame, she found her voice in stand-up comedy, performing in multiple languages in sold-out shows all over the world.
When not touring, Maysoon Zayid is a passionate advocate who fights for access to education for disabled students worldwide and battles bullying online. In this Audible Original x Hello Sunshine, Maysoon tells tales of family, friendship, love, and career. She takes us on a hilarious, poignant journey of failures and successes. When her dreams turn into nightmares, she finds another dream until finally, the one she least expected comes true.
Audible Audio
Published October 31, 2019
8 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
About the author
Maysoon Zayid
5 books25 followersMaysoon Zayid is an American actress and comedian. Of Palestinian descent, she is known as one of America's first Muslim women comedians.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
March 9, 2020
In the recent months I discovered that I am a really big fan of all sorts of memoirs, especially listening to the audiobook version when the author narrates it themselves :) this is just another example of why I love them so much :) it’s always so fascinating for me to read about someone else’s perspective… I might not always agree with them on every little thing, but it definitely helps me broaden my own horizons… this is definitely an interesting story for you to maybe check out ;)
XOXO
A
XOXO
A
December 30, 2019
I liked hearing Maysoon tell about her unusual life. She has cerebral palsy but refuses to let it define her. Although it is not something she can hide, she becomes successful as a standup comic, and an actress on a daytime soap opera. I learned a lot about her religious beliefs as a Muslim. There aren’t too many Muslims out there talking about their beliefs, especially as comics. Without really knowing it, she is an ambassador for understanding between people of different faiths, and especially for Muslims, who many Americans are suspicious of. All the more reason we need people like Maysoon in this world. She has helped me understand that most Muslims, most Arabs are normal people who have the same hopes, dreams, problems and aspirations as most Americans. And as far as that goes, all people everywhere. That makes me happy.
February 24, 2020
This reminded me why I hate memoirs. While I find her success wonderful & her perseverance inspiring, I found her stories to represent her as a rather annoying, selfish, untactful, disrespectful snob who admits to being a mean girl, bully. Her stories of her explosive retorts at others were just distasteful. The disrespect she mentions towards her family rubbed me the wrong way. I found her chapter on her cats’ deaths completely unnecessary and quite insensitive as she tried to Include lame puns that as an actual animal lover, definitely didn’t sit well with me. Which brings me to the next part: puns & jokes. They were not funny. The two things from this book I can agree with is the producer/director who told her she isn’t funny and her dislike for Trump (though I find her behavior & reactions towards her friends’ votes, completely narcissistic. I find that most women comedians who produce audiobooks or write novels end up falling completely flat. At least I can fill one of my reading challenge prompts with this. Again, kudos for following her dream and overcoming obstacles.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2020
Find Another Dream is a must . I love the audio. I love Maysoon's accent and listening to her tell her story . Maysoon is a fascinating woman. I love her outlook on life, because I have cerebral palsy too.
January 2, 2020
I listened to this as an audible original as well as read the accompanying pdf and was quite entertained. Although it wasn't as laugh out loud funny the way I was expecting, it was really well written and organized and sounded like she was talking to you about her life. I think she makes a great ambassador for women, disabled, Palestinians, and Muslims as she talks very honestly about her own personal experiences while sharing her vision of a fairer future for all. Much of the memoir focuses on her family, especially her relationship with her father, her education (her mom was determined all of her girls would be well educated), "dating" (conservative Muslim girls don't date), and finding a husband, she also spends quite a bit of time talking about her career and the people who helped support her or stood in her way as she tried to figure out what exactly she wanted to do. Some of the segments end rather abruptly, but overall, this was a very enjoyable read and listen. The accompanying pdf included the script and photos that were fun to look at.
July 10, 2023
A funny and moving memoir from a successful Muslim, Palestinian American stand up comedian/actress born with cerebral palsy. I honestly hadn't heard of Maysoon Zayid before but this book had me laughing out loud with lots of great stories from her childhood growing up disabled to finding success in Hollywood. Highly recommended and great on audio read by the author herself.
December 31, 2019
This audiobook is so entertaining! This is a great one to listen to when you need a little laugh in the middle of a long afternoon at the office.
Maysoon Zayid’s sense of humor shines in this audiobook, and she paints a hilarious picture of her childhood and her family. She’s not perfect, and neither is her family, and she’s completely okay with seeing the humor in their behavior and personalities. She openly discusses the discrimination she faces as a Muslim, Arab woman, and as a disabled woman, too. She talks about her journey towards being a standup comedian, her family’s struggle to take care of her sister when her cancer relapsed, and her search for a fitting husband. The audiobook is organized well—the story isn’t always chronological, but it’s still easy to keep up with all of these subject changes, especially because Maysoon’s quick wit keeps you listening closely.
She’s funny, but serious too, and it was very interesting to hear her describe the struggles she faced having cerebral palsy, being the third girl born to a family that wanted boys, and reaching for her own dreams. Muslim Palestinian women with cerebral palsy don’t often get the opportunity to share their stories, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to hear a Maysoon’s first-hand account of her life experiences. She has a knack for optimism, and for being able to admit things she could have done differently without regretting the decisions that she’s made. She’s confident in herself, and she’s happy with who she is, and that shines through in this audiobook.
Find Another Dream is a relaxed, casual, intriguing audiobook, and I found myself smiling and laughing to myself several times while listening.
Maysoon Zayid’s sense of humor shines in this audiobook, and she paints a hilarious picture of her childhood and her family. She’s not perfect, and neither is her family, and she’s completely okay with seeing the humor in their behavior and personalities. She openly discusses the discrimination she faces as a Muslim, Arab woman, and as a disabled woman, too. She talks about her journey towards being a standup comedian, her family’s struggle to take care of her sister when her cancer relapsed, and her search for a fitting husband. The audiobook is organized well—the story isn’t always chronological, but it’s still easy to keep up with all of these subject changes, especially because Maysoon’s quick wit keeps you listening closely.
She’s funny, but serious too, and it was very interesting to hear her describe the struggles she faced having cerebral palsy, being the third girl born to a family that wanted boys, and reaching for her own dreams. Muslim Palestinian women with cerebral palsy don’t often get the opportunity to share their stories, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to hear a Maysoon’s first-hand account of her life experiences. She has a knack for optimism, and for being able to admit things she could have done differently without regretting the decisions that she’s made. She’s confident in herself, and she’s happy with who she is, and that shines through in this audiobook.
Find Another Dream is a relaxed, casual, intriguing audiobook, and I found myself smiling and laughing to myself several times while listening.
dnf
March 16, 2020Find Another Dream was interesting, and I thought I would be able to finish it because it's relatively short. However, halfway in I realized something about myself: I like memoirs, but only if I actually know who the person writing the memoir is. I don't know Maysoon Zayid. If you're a fan of her comedy — or if you don't need the same personal connection to a memoir author that I apparently do — the half of the book I read is a great story about overcoming racism and disability. I just couldn't connect to it.
December 27, 2019
I honestly had never heard of Maysoon Zayid before this, and I'm ashamed of that. I picked this novel as my Audible freebies because it sounded the most intriguing. And I was not disappointed. She tells her story without dwelling on the small things and still painting the picture that is her life.
January 22, 2020
I was introduced to Maysoon Zayid's TED talk by a student when they wrote an assignment about it for my class. She's very funny, and she has a great story to tell. Loved this!
March 20, 2022
A true story told by Maysoon about her life as a Pakistani, muslim woman with cerebral palsy, living in the states, and chasing her dream of pop culture fame.
This was a fun read. The audio narration is well done and Maysoon has a very engaging way of telling her own story and making you laugh. The only thing I didn't much appreciate was her short sighted-ness at the end when telling about politics and the way she dealt with her former friends. I really struggle when I hear americans un-friend their real life friends over a disagreement on who to vote for. But that's obviously a personal thing, and I come from a country where such things generally don't stand in people's way to be civil or friends.
Anyways....book related. This was a fun read. Go check it out if you want a relaxing audio narration to make you laugh while you run your chores or during a drive.
Sexual content: none
Coarse language: mild
Violence and gore: none
Other: discrimination, political views expressed as fact
This was a fun read. The audio narration is well done and Maysoon has a very engaging way of telling her own story and making you laugh. The only thing I didn't much appreciate was her short sighted-ness at the end when telling about politics and the way she dealt with her former friends. I really struggle when I hear americans un-friend their real life friends over a disagreement on who to vote for. But that's obviously a personal thing, and I come from a country where such things generally don't stand in people's way to be civil or friends.
Anyways....book related. This was a fun read. Go check it out if you want a relaxing audio narration to make you laugh while you run your chores or during a drive.
Sexual content: none
Coarse language: mild
Violence and gore: none
Other: discrimination, political views expressed as fact
February 2, 2022
Wow, A Palestinian Comedian/Actress with Cerebral Palsy. I had no idea who she was. I'm not a big TV or movie buff, so lots of autobiographical stories of this type surprise me. It's a very joyful book with its ups and downs. I love being surprised every once-in-a-while. Great triumphant story!
March 15, 2020
ميسون زايد، كوميدية من فلسطين ترعرعت في نيوجيرسي ومن يوم ولادتها وهي مريضة بمرض الشلل الدماغي (الظاهر هو ذا الاسم العربي للمرض)
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في هذا الكتاب، تحكي قصة حياتها، علاقتها الجميلة مع والديها وأخواتها وكيف إنهم رفضوا يعاملوها على بشكل مختلف بسبب إعاقتها وعاشت حياة "طبيعية" معهم، وتتطرق للمواقف والمشاكل الي واجهتها كفتاة مسلمة عاشت في أمريكا.
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بالإضافة لأنها تحكي عن زياراتها المتكررة لفلسطين، والنضال المتواصل هناك (تمنيت لو انها تكلمت أكثر عن ذا الشيء بصراحة) ،بالإضافة لحياتها العملية في هوليوود وكيف مرضها يتحتم عليها احيانا إنها "تدور لها على حلم ثاني"
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الكتاب جميل جداً، أذكر تابعت لها فيديو من زماااااان وخذيت الكتاب صدفة، تقدر تجس بروحها الجميلة في طريقة الكتابة وكونها كوميك ساعد كثير في السرد الجميل للكتاب
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اذا ما يخلصك تقرأ الكتاب، لها Tedtalk في اليوتيوب بإسم I got 99 Problem.. Palsey is just one ،أنصح به، رهيب!
Maysoon Zayied, a Palestinian comic who grew up in New Jersey and had Cerebral Palsey since she was born
.
In Find Another Dream, she writes, in a hilarious style, about her life and her beautiful relationship with her parents and sisters and how they treated her normally. She talks a little bit about the struggles she faced as a Muslim girl growing up in the US.
.
She also talks about Palatine (even though I would have loved to read more about this in particular), and the continous struggle there whenever she goes back. But what she focuses the last few chapters on is her life in Hollywood as a comic/actress and how her illness forces her sometimes to "find another dream."
.
I really loved the book. I remember watching one of her videos a very long time ago and I bought the book without really reading anything about it. You can almost hear her excited voice when reading it and her soul is definitely there. The jokes were also great and she on point.
.
I would recommend watching her Tedtalk titled: I got 98 Problems... Palsey is just one on YouTube. It's soo good!
.
في هذا الكتاب، تحكي قصة حياتها، علاقتها الجميلة مع والديها وأخواتها وكيف إنهم رفضوا يعاملوها على بشكل مختلف بسبب إعاقتها وعاشت حياة "طبيعية" معهم، وتتطرق للمواقف والمشاكل الي واجهتها كفتاة مسلمة عاشت في أمريكا.
.
بالإضافة لأنها تحكي عن زياراتها المتكررة لفلسطين، والنضال المتواصل هناك (تمنيت لو انها تكلمت أكثر عن ذا الشيء بصراحة) ،بالإضافة لحياتها العملية في هوليوود وكيف مرضها يتحتم عليها احيانا إنها "تدور لها على حلم ثاني"
.
الكتاب جميل جداً، أذكر تابعت لها فيديو من زماااااان وخذيت الكتاب صدفة، تقدر تجس بروحها الجميلة في طريقة الكتابة وكونها كوميك ساعد كثير في السرد الجميل للكتاب
.
اذا ما يخلصك تقرأ الكتاب، لها Tedtalk في اليوتيوب بإسم I got 99 Problem.. Palsey is just one ،أنصح به، رهيب!
Maysoon Zayied, a Palestinian comic who grew up in New Jersey and had Cerebral Palsey since she was born
.
In Find Another Dream, she writes, in a hilarious style, about her life and her beautiful relationship with her parents and sisters and how they treated her normally. She talks a little bit about the struggles she faced as a Muslim girl growing up in the US.
.
She also talks about Palatine (even though I would have loved to read more about this in particular), and the continous struggle there whenever she goes back. But what she focuses the last few chapters on is her life in Hollywood as a comic/actress and how her illness forces her sometimes to "find another dream."
.
I really loved the book. I remember watching one of her videos a very long time ago and I bought the book without really reading anything about it. You can almost hear her excited voice when reading it and her soul is definitely there. The jokes were also great and she on point.
.
I would recommend watching her Tedtalk titled: I got 98 Problems... Palsey is just one on YouTube. It's soo good!
July 25, 2020
Of the Amazon original free downloads, this is my favorite so far. To be clear, Maysoon is a mess!! She is dramatic, reactionary, self-focused, and capricious! But she's also non-judgmental, self-aware, hilarious, compassionate, and tenacious. She owns her erratic nature in a way that is rare in a memoir. I already knew she was brilliantly funny, having seen her videos, but she has a deeper side that is tender and based on relationship. It was sweet to hear. She has overcome more than most humans can imagine in terms of ability discrimination, race discrimination, nationality discrimination, gender discrimination, religious discrimination...and yet she deals with all of it in this joyous "I shall overcome" melody that infuses her work. It's an uplifting narrative the owns mistakes, avows prejudice, and still engenders joy.
February 24, 2020
The story I needed to hear. On so many levels, not just for myself needing inspiration while at a crossroads. I also needed to hear this inspiring and witty tale for my daughter. As a mom of a daughter with special needs, knowing that pushing as my daughter's advocate can have positive effect. I know I can teach her that her 22q11.2 ( DiGeorge Syndrome) shouldn't define her.
Thank you for teaching me that it's ok to Find Another Dream for myself,
Thank you for teaching me that it's ok to Find Another Dream for myself,
January 22, 2020
Though I do not share a number of her aspirations, I greatly appreciate how she refused to be limited or labeled for her disability. She never wavered, made excuses or apologized. I am so impressed with her family who helped create her sense of identity and their unwavering support. While i will not be watching her on zgeneral Hospital, i found her energy and enthusiasm for life infectious.
April 14, 2020
I. Loved. This. I love how she reads it, not like she is reading her own book,but like she is telling us incredible things right there in the moment. I can't remember why I initially downloaded this, what made me look at it specifically, but I'm so glad I listened to it. Looking forward to her next book.
October 25, 2020
A refreshing story, Maysoon is a great storyteller which comes through smashingly as her full-heartedly narrates her book. Her life story is an enticing detailed sweet treat, about growing up Palestinian and Muslim in New Jersey with cerebral palsy on her own path to success.
June 15, 2020
It was fun and witty but Maysoon Zayid has a dramatic flair to her narrative style which just isn’t for me.
Her personality is big, confident, and bold. If you love the drama of Jersey then this is more for you than me.
Her personality is big, confident, and bold. If you love the drama of Jersey then this is more for you than me.
February 19, 2020
An honest look at a funny person's difficult and different journey. I've seen her contest and this was a nice addition to knowing more about the interesting life she has had.
May 14, 2024
Interesting short memoir by this comedienne with cerebral palsey.
Read
April 16, 2023 Mini Review
As a person with cerebral palsy, I was looking forward to listening to a book about cp written by someone who also has cerebral palsy.
At first, I had some difficulty getting into Find Another Dream as it felt more like a stand-up comedy rather than a memoir. However, I really enjoyed Maysoon Zayid's narration and outlook on life. Find Another Dream is authentic and refreshing and I will never watch You Don't Mess with the Zohan the same way again.
Rating
This review was originally posted on First Impressions Reviews
As a person with cerebral palsy, I was looking forward to listening to a book about cp written by someone who also has cerebral palsy.
At first, I had some difficulty getting into Find Another Dream as it felt more like a stand-up comedy rather than a memoir. However, I really enjoyed Maysoon Zayid's narration and outlook on life. Find Another Dream is authentic and refreshing and I will never watch You Don't Mess with the Zohan the same way again.
Rating
This review was originally posted on First Impressions Reviews
January 3, 2021
This was a fun look at a life of a girl with a disability who wants to be normal and live her dream. She is funny and has no problem telling you exactly what's on her mind. If she has one major flaw, she became political and good friends who did not have her same political views, she dropped them. That rubbed me the wrong way and it kind of soured the rest of the book. But otherwise I enjoyed listening.
October 27, 2024
Edit (2024):
I saw a funny clip of Zayid recently and it had me thinking about this book again. I stand by the fact that I didn’t feel like I really got to know Zayid, but I think I understood her better than I thought I would. I remember quite a bit from this memoir. I’m moving my rating back up to 3
Original review:
This is the second audible originals that goodreads has deleted my review for. Though maybe they are simply deleting and remaking the book itself on goodreads? I'm not sure, but it is a little frustrating to see and makes me want to go back to my other audible originals and see if my reviews for them are still there. This has nothing to do with my rating of this book but it's still confusing and disheartening to see.
I actually came back to this book to lower my original 3 star rating to 2. This was the first comedian's memoir I had ever read, and I found it to be pretty dull overall. But I'm pretty generous with my star ratings, and thought that maybe all comedian memoirs were like this. After having read quite a few more, I've learned that it was just this book in particular.
Since goodreads deleted my original review of this, and it's been a few months, I don't remember the details of the book quite as clearly as when I initially read it. However, I do remember the reason I picked up this book was because I wanted to hear about her discuss her cp, her Palestinian heritage, her thoughts on Israel, and/or get a few laughs out of her comedy. But we ended up getting practically none of that.
The discussion of her CP is almost entirely reduced to the short story at the beginning of how she got it (which was interesting) and then how she kept making things harder for herself by refusing to tell people she had CP and letting them think she is shaking because she is drunk. And for clarity, I'm not saying she has to disclose her medical condition to everyone or even anyone she meets. But Maysoon herself continued to realize the same internal lesson "I should start being more open about my condition" but then never followed through with her own advice even with this book itself, as she didn’t discuss her condition with the book’s audience either.
Her thoughts on Israel and Palestine were almost entirely summarized as "Israel is oppressing Palestinians and I care about it". She doesn't go into detail about why she feels that way, what the Israeli army is doing, or even just her feelings about what it means to be Palestinian in general. Again, not that she has to do any of that, but she continually talked about how she was an advocate for Palestinians, but then never showed us what that really means or looks like. I didn't /learn/ anything from her, and I didn't even really feel like I got to understand her feelings about the whole situation other than the surface level concept that to her "Israel is bad" (which again, would’ve been fine if it wasn’t for the fact that it seemed like a topic she continually expressed caring about, but then not showing it).
Finally, the comedy. She attempts to be comedic, in a way that I already know is much funnier presented in her standup. She has better timing with her jokes in person, and she use visual cues on stage that she lacks through audio. In the book, she also uses queer terminology in a somewhat uncomfortable way. That being said, her story about her husband was pretty adorable and funny, and I was disappointed that only got a chapter instead of being the focus of the entire book. Because that part was great.
So instead of getting an insightful comedic story about a girl overcoming the challenges of being a Palestinian woman with CP. We got just a mundane "rags to riches; but I already had a ton of money from my lawsuit" story that was just okay. I'm happy for her and her success, and I do think she is genuinely funny in her standup. But I just found this story to be pretty uninteresting and uneventful. You could get a similar effect by simply watching her standup, and reading her Wikipedia page for any details you may be missing about her personal life or history.
All that being said, I'm sure its possible to get something out of this text, especially if you don't go into it expecting it to have anything to do with her CP or Palestinian heritage. Even the title "Find Another Dream" is a bit misleading. The discrimination she faces doesn't get explored that much. It's a good book for if you want an easy read with some small ancedotes about a girls journey to success with some occasional minor setbacks due to a combination of discrimination and a "tragic flaw" that she continually brings up but never changes.
I saw a funny clip of Zayid recently and it had me thinking about this book again. I stand by the fact that I didn’t feel like I really got to know Zayid, but I think I understood her better than I thought I would. I remember quite a bit from this memoir. I’m moving my rating back up to 3
Original review:
This is the second audible originals that goodreads has deleted my review for. Though maybe they are simply deleting and remaking the book itself on goodreads? I'm not sure, but it is a little frustrating to see and makes me want to go back to my other audible originals and see if my reviews for them are still there. This has nothing to do with my rating of this book but it's still confusing and disheartening to see.
I actually came back to this book to lower my original 3 star rating to 2. This was the first comedian's memoir I had ever read, and I found it to be pretty dull overall. But I'm pretty generous with my star ratings, and thought that maybe all comedian memoirs were like this. After having read quite a few more, I've learned that it was just this book in particular.
Since goodreads deleted my original review of this, and it's been a few months, I don't remember the details of the book quite as clearly as when I initially read it. However, I do remember the reason I picked up this book was because I wanted to hear about her discuss her cp, her Palestinian heritage, her thoughts on Israel, and/or get a few laughs out of her comedy. But we ended up getting practically none of that.
The discussion of her CP is almost entirely reduced to the short story at the beginning of how she got it (which was interesting) and then how she kept making things harder for herself by refusing to tell people she had CP and letting them think she is shaking because she is drunk. And for clarity, I'm not saying she has to disclose her medical condition to everyone or even anyone she meets. But Maysoon herself continued to realize the same internal lesson "I should start being more open about my condition" but then never followed through with her own advice even with this book itself, as she didn’t discuss her condition with the book’s audience either.
Her thoughts on Israel and Palestine were almost entirely summarized as "Israel is oppressing Palestinians and I care about it". She doesn't go into detail about why she feels that way, what the Israeli army is doing, or even just her feelings about what it means to be Palestinian in general. Again, not that she has to do any of that, but she continually talked about how she was an advocate for Palestinians, but then never showed us what that really means or looks like. I didn't /learn/ anything from her, and I didn't even really feel like I got to understand her feelings about the whole situation other than the surface level concept that to her "Israel is bad" (which again, would’ve been fine if it wasn’t for the fact that it seemed like a topic she continually expressed caring about, but then not showing it).
Finally, the comedy. She attempts to be comedic, in a way that I already know is much funnier presented in her standup. She has better timing with her jokes in person, and she use visual cues on stage that she lacks through audio. In the book, she also uses queer terminology in a somewhat uncomfortable way. That being said, her story about her husband was pretty adorable and funny, and I was disappointed that only got a chapter instead of being the focus of the entire book. Because that part was great.
So instead of getting an insightful comedic story about a girl overcoming the challenges of being a Palestinian woman with CP. We got just a mundane "rags to riches; but I already had a ton of money from my lawsuit" story that was just okay. I'm happy for her and her success, and I do think she is genuinely funny in her standup. But I just found this story to be pretty uninteresting and uneventful. You could get a similar effect by simply watching her standup, and reading her Wikipedia page for any details you may be missing about her personal life or history.
All that being said, I'm sure its possible to get something out of this text, especially if you don't go into it expecting it to have anything to do with her CP or Palestinian heritage. Even the title "Find Another Dream" is a bit misleading. The discrimination she faces doesn't get explored that much. It's a good book for if you want an easy read with some small ancedotes about a girls journey to success with some occasional minor setbacks due to a combination of discrimination and a "tragic flaw" that she continually brings up but never changes.
December 20, 2019
Reposting after the deletion of 11 Audible Originals Dec. 17-19, 2019.
Goodreads purged about 11 Audible Original audiobooks at the end of the year 2019 as they apparently did not meet guidelines. Those audiobooks that have been converted from podcasts are apparently the main issue. Others that are short novellas, memoirs or theatrical plays may be restored. This current edition of Find Another Dream is a new listing and not a restoration but hopefully will not be deleted as it is a memoir that exists in both eBook (pdf) and audiobook formats. Thanks to Goodreads and SuperLibrarians who listen to appeals!
Original Review from November 2019:
Yes She Can Can
Review of the Audible Originals audiobook (2019)
This is an audio memoir / autobiography by the actress/comedian which is an extension of her 'stand-up' act and her TEDTalk which are both strongly focused on her life story. She downplays the 'inspirational' parts to tell her life of various goals and accomplishments in a comedic manner.
I didn't notice it being especially highlighted on the Audible site, but the entire book is made available as an eBook in pdf format, presumably as an aid for the hearing impaired. I think it is available to everyone and is not restricted to Audible members only at http://download.audible.com/product_r...
Find Another Dream was one of the free Audible Originals for members in the month of November 2019 but is available to everyone for a standard price.
Goodreads purged about 11 Audible Original audiobooks at the end of the year 2019 as they apparently did not meet guidelines. Those audiobooks that have been converted from podcasts are apparently the main issue. Others that are short novellas, memoirs or theatrical plays may be restored. This current edition of Find Another Dream is a new listing and not a restoration but hopefully will not be deleted as it is a memoir that exists in both eBook (pdf) and audiobook formats. Thanks to Goodreads and SuperLibrarians who listen to appeals!
Original Review from November 2019:
Yes She Can Can
Review of the Audible Originals audiobook (2019)
This is an audio memoir / autobiography by the actress/comedian which is an extension of her 'stand-up' act and her TEDTalk which are both strongly focused on her life story. She downplays the 'inspirational' parts to tell her life of various goals and accomplishments in a comedic manner.
I didn't notice it being especially highlighted on the Audible site, but the entire book is made available as an eBook in pdf format, presumably as an aid for the hearing impaired. I think it is available to everyone and is not restricted to Audible members only at http://download.audible.com/product_r...
Find Another Dream was one of the free Audible Originals for members in the month of November 2019 but is available to everyone for a standard price.
February 22, 2020
I really enjoyed Maysoon's sometimes cynical, always entertaining, narration of her life to date. She is certainly an advocate for not only disabled individuals, but also anybody who has been told that they can't make it. She gives the reader her two cents without coming off as preachy or arrogant, and even though I am most definitely not a disabled Palestinian actor from New Jersey, I still felt connected to the story.
There were times I checked the counter to see how much longer was left in the book, not because I didn't enjoy it but because occasionally chapters seemed to go on longer than necessary. However, Maysoon did a great job of telling her story, and the extra pieces about her failed romantic endeavors and all her cats really painted the details of her life, which seems to be what she was trying to accomplish. For one of my free Audible listens, this one was a pretty good choice.
There were times I checked the counter to see how much longer was left in the book, not because I didn't enjoy it but because occasionally chapters seemed to go on longer than necessary. However, Maysoon did a great job of telling her story, and the extra pieces about her failed romantic endeavors and all her cats really painted the details of her life, which seems to be what she was trying to accomplish. For one of my free Audible listens, this one was a pretty good choice.
January 7, 2020
If I am being honest, which I always am ha ha, I have only ever hear of Maysoon Zayid because of her TED talk. I probably would not have picked this one up if it hadn't been one of my Free Audible picks, fortunately it was. I found this book funny, lighthearted, and overall entertaining however it never got into the meat of who Maysoon truly is. Aside from hating (not a word I often use but an accurate description of Maysoons feelings) President Donald Trump and her love for spending money I didn't learn a whole lot about Maysoon. Triumphs and tribulations, passions and pet peeves, these area ll still a mystery to me.
Next time don't be afraid to get a little personal Girl ;)
3.3 Stars and a rating of PG13
Next time don't be afraid to get a little personal Girl ;)
3.3 Stars and a rating of PG13
January 20, 2020
byť v USA "imigrantská" moslimka z Palestíny a ešte aj zdravotne postihnutá, je kombo ako vyšité.
Maysoon mala to nešťastie, že ju na svet priviedol ožratý lekár a to jej spôsobilo mozgovú obrnu. na druhú stranu sa našťastie našla v herectve a stand-up comedy. stand-up síce takmer vôbec nesledujem (ja viem, som asi jediná), takže neviem veľmi porovnať, ale Maysoon sa mi celkom páčila. robí si srandu zo seba, z choroby, zo života, ale zároveň ukazuje realitu ZŤP v showbiznise (spoiler alert: nie je to dobré). nikdy som si napr. neuvedomila, že hendikepovaných hrajú vždy normálni ľudia a nie herci s presne tou chorobou, akú má charakter (aj keď títo herci sú k dispozícii).
takže za mňa okej.
Maysoon mala to nešťastie, že ju na svet priviedol ožratý lekár a to jej spôsobilo mozgovú obrnu. na druhú stranu sa našťastie našla v herectve a stand-up comedy. stand-up síce takmer vôbec nesledujem (ja viem, som asi jediná), takže neviem veľmi porovnať, ale Maysoon sa mi celkom páčila. robí si srandu zo seba, z choroby, zo života, ale zároveň ukazuje realitu ZŤP v showbiznise (spoiler alert: nie je to dobré). nikdy som si napr. neuvedomila, že hendikepovaných hrajú vždy normálni ľudia a nie herci s presne tou chorobou, akú má charakter (aj keď títo herci sú k dispozícii).
takže za mňa okej.
January 24, 2020
There were some things I very much liked about this audiobook and then there were some things that I found very annoying.
The pros include Zayid's honesty and bluntness about her experience being a disabled minority in the entertainment business. She is open about her disability and the impact her CP has on her life without being defined by it. She also speaks passionately about her ethnicity, religion, and humanitarian causes. I also found the way she talks about the relationship she had with her father as very touching and endearing. All of these are things I liked very much.
The cons include her describing several ways in which she was hurtful or judgmental towards others without any seeming remorse or regret. She just kind of comes across as a jerk.
The pros include Zayid's honesty and bluntness about her experience being a disabled minority in the entertainment business. She is open about her disability and the impact her CP has on her life without being defined by it. She also speaks passionately about her ethnicity, religion, and humanitarian causes. I also found the way she talks about the relationship she had with her father as very touching and endearing. All of these are things I liked very much.
The cons include her describing several ways in which she was hurtful or judgmental towards others without any seeming remorse or regret. She just kind of comes across as a jerk.
Read
April 14, 2020Zayid is funny and opinionated. I enjoyed hearing her story and was glad I listened to her book. Although I prefer not to read an author's political opinions, it's her story and she can say whatever she wants. I would recommend everyone read this, it's inspiring and will push you to see people differently and capable of more than their appearance may show. I admire Zayid's spirit and the way she pushes culturally appropriate boundaries and lives outside of her comfort zone. Short listen and well worth it.
If you are listening, don't be afraid that this book is read by the author. While I normally refuse to listen to a book narrated by the author, Zayid is an exception b/c she's very easy to listen to. By the end of the book you'll feel like you had a conversation with your old friend.
If you are listening, don't be afraid that this book is read by the author. While I normally refuse to listen to a book narrated by the author, Zayid is an exception b/c she's very easy to listen to. By the end of the book you'll feel like you had a conversation with your old friend.
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