My Mother Called Me Unni

My Mother Called Me Unni

My Mother Called Me Unni- A Doctor's Tale Of Migration, is an immigrant's story, which means it's an American story. Drawing upon his childhood in Colonial British, pre-independent India with its rich, colorful, cultural customs and the teachings of his ancient heritage, the author of this inspirational memoir questions, understands, and ultimately assimilates into his new country, experiencing an exhilarating realization of the American Dream.

Born into a traditional, middle class Hindu Nair family in the 1930s, the story of the author Venugopal K. Menon is a fairy-tale of a child who got his first pair of shoes in his sixth grade and who studied under the light of a kerosene lamp, managing to become a doctor, coming over to America and establishing as a successful physician and the president of a nationally known medical clinic.

Menon's decision to leave his homeland was poignant, tearing apart from a centuries-old bond and walking away from an established past to an unknown future. And it took several decades and intense introspection before the impact sunk in, of his role and responsibility in the act and its implied immensity. Yet, through hard work and conscientious commitment he earned what he sought for: professional success. He also managed to earn personal triumph, playing a significant role in establishing the Indian community in his new home-thus leaving a legacy for generations to come.

The narrative is one of the first publications from over 1.4 million Indians who are perhaps the 'most educated, most industrious and most successful' group in the history of America. It is a unique orientation of the first wave of immigrants from the subcontinent who brought in, initiated and established awareness of ancient Indian culture and philosophy into the most generous melting pot in the whole world. The book is also a beautiful chronicle of the typical migrant who contributed much to enrich the country he has chosen as his domicile, presenting a bold case on the political dialog scene and the extreme viewpoints in our ongoing debates.

My Mother Called Me Unni is a fascinating and admirable history; its detailed and descriptive chapters creating cultural worlds for readers to learn from, enjoy and remember. It is also an inspiring story, a wonderful saga of a migrant in America.