Title : Twelve unending summers – Memoir of an immigrant child
Author : Cholet Kelly Josue, MD
Genre : Memoir
Pages : 134
I received this review copy by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley.
“Those who have been given great gifts, also carry heavy burdens.”
Twelve unending summers : Memoir of an immigrant child by Dr. Cholet Kelly Josue, MD is a soul-stirring memoir of the author which will make the readers feel all the emotions he underwent, as he grew up. The cultural and emotional instability a child undergoes when exposed to different lifestyles and geographic regions has been written down-straightly from his heart. In the prologue the author poses a question “where do I belong?” Born in Bahamas to a Haitian parents and lived a life as an American, this question haunts the author throughout the course of his life. This is a no simple question, we all need a ground to be anchored to and a place to be called ours. Without knowing one’s identity, history and background living a life is impossible, this is what the author has tried to divulge in this book and has also succeeded extraordinarily. It’s not a book only immigrants could relate to, it’s not a book only Haitians could relate to. Once the reader reads the first page of the book he/she will immediately get transformed to the world of Cholet. Every unique cultural traditions and superstitions followed by the Haitians and local anecdotes was so enticing and I personally I loved those parts very much. The community in which Cholet grew up in Haiti was so wonderful. In today’s world every one of us are driven by ambition and self-centredness but in Haitian community everyone lived harmoniously together supporting each other shoulder to shoulder.
Certain sequences such as leaving behind his childhood friends in Haiti, passing away of his parents were extremely heart-wrenching and moving. And the childish essence that the book has to offer has been captured and penned down beautifully. Throughout the book he has insisted about the importance of education in one’s life, how it has the power to transform a person from being a cipher to an achiever. His hunger for knowledge and soccer was inspiring and strikingly appreciable. Even though the life at America had to offer more downs than ups, Cholet had faced them bravely with hope spread all across his soul. The optimistic character of the author has what made him endure the unendurable. The last two chapters of the book were fast moving and electrifying, irrespective of the knowledge the readers have about the final note.
The epilogue was my personal favorite, it had so much to offer. I loved each and every word of it. On the whole it was a easy read, the language was simple and engaging. I finished it in one sitting, so you can assimilate how good the book is. And it’s one of the deep and moving memoirs you ever come across.
I seriously recommend this book to everyone because I learned a lot via this and it inspired me to look deeper into my roots too.
PS : I don’t read many biographies or memoirs but I seriously loved it and it’s worth the read.
My rating for this book is : 4/5
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Happy Reading Folks !!
