BOOK REVIEW: TRIUMPHS OF TENACITY

 BOOK SUMMARY:

Triumphs of Tenacity is an inspiring memoir by Yusra Mariyam, chronicling her remarkable journey from a young girl in Bangladesh to a UK graduate. At seven, Yusra faced the daunting challenge of adapting to a new culture and language. Despite numerous setbacks, including academic failures and personal heartbreaks, she never lost sight of her dreams. Yusra's transformation is profound. From a homemaker with no qualifications, raising six children, she emerged as a First-Class Honours graduate in International Business Management. Her story is one of relentless pursuit of empowerment and education, detailing both the practical challenges of her course and the emotional battles she overcame. Balancing her professional life with academic pursuits at Anglia Ruskin University, Yusra juggled full-time work while striving for success in adult education. Her experiences offer valuable lessons in positivity, resilience, and self-belief. Yusra's narrative encourages readers to face adversity head-on, emphasizing that with determination, support, and a strong will, any challenge can be overcome.

BOOK REVIEW:

Triumphs of tenacity is an inspiring memoir of Yusra Mariyam, in which she narrates her journey of a young girl from Bangladesh to academic success at a later stage in her life in the UK. Yusra begins her story by narrating from the time her father moved to UK, later married her mother, how she spent her initial years in Bangladesh where her father visited them after long gaps and finally moving to the UK with her father once he becomes a citizen.

Yusra recounted her initial struggles of adapting to a new country, culture, even extreme cold weather and language. Young Yusra dreamt of becoming a police officer but the height restriction at that point meant she could not be qualified. The next profession Yusra looks at is being a lawyer and while preparing to be a law student, she again faces setbacks as Maths subject gets very difficult to clear and her teacher does not help her or other students.

Though she had to give up on her dreams, Yusra dedicates herself to the role of a housewife bringing up six children. But Yusra refused to give up her passion for education and enrolled at Anglia Ruskin University to study International Business Management. Thus begins her most challenging journey of balancing studies and motherhood.

This memoir about Yusra’s journey from a young girl to a mother, never giving up on her passion for education even after all the challenges life threw at her is very inspiring. The memoir is about perseverance, determination, and resilience while staying true to her core values. I personally liked how she kept remembering her father (abba), her faith and how she navigated through all life challenges.

Yusra’s story also highlights how setbacks at one point in life (like her failed plans to become a police officer or lawyer before marriage) do not mean it is permanent as she succeeds in her studies much later in life despite the multiple responsibilities she had. The memoir points out important contemporary issues like immigration, language barriers and how Yusra could overcome them with her grit.

An inspiring memoir, Triumphs of tenacity is a must read, especially for anyone struggling to follow their passion or bogged down by self-doubt.