Inthisspellbindingmemoir,popularCNNanchorZainE.Asherpaystributetohermother’sstrengthanddeterminationtoraisefoursuccessfulchildrenintheshadowoftragedy.Awaitingthereturnofherhusbandandyoungsonfromaroadtrip,ObiajuluEjioforreceivesshatteringnews.There’sbeenafatalcarcrash,andoneofthemisdead.InWheretheChildrenTakeUs,Obiajulu’sdaughter,ZainE.Asher,tellsthestoryofhermother’sharrowingfighttoraisefourchildrenasawidowedimmigrantinSouthLondon.Thereistragedyinthistale,butitisnotatragedy.Drawingontough-loveparentingstrategies,Obiajuluteacheshersonsanddaughterstoovercomethedailypressuresofpoverty,crimeandprejudice--andmuchmore.Withherrelentlesssupport,thechildrenexceedallexpectations--becomingaCNNanchor,anOscar-nominatedactor--Asher’solderbrotherChiwetelEjiofor(12YearsaSlave)--amedicaldoctor,andathrivingentrepreneur.Thegenerations-oldNigerianparentingtechniquesthatleadtothefamily’ssalvationwereborninthevillagewhereyoungObiajuluandArinzemeetwiththeircountryonthebrinkofwar.Together,theyemigratetoLondoninthe1970stoescapetheviolence,butsoonconfrontadifferentsetofchallengesintheWest.Whengriefthreatenstoengulfherfracturedfamilyaftertheaccident,Obiajulu,suddenlyasinglemotherinaforeignland,refusestoacceptdefeat.Asherchildrenveerdownthewrongpath,sheinstillsafamilybookclubwithWesternliteraryclassics,testingtheirresolveandchallengingtheirdeeperunderstanding.Desperateforinspiration,sheplastersnewspaperclippingsofBlacksuccessstoriesonthewallsandhuntsforoverachievingneighborstoserveasrolemodels,allwhilerunningShakespearetheatrelineswithhersonandfinishinghomeworkintotheearlymorningwithZain.Whendistractionspersist,sheliterallycutstheTVcordandinstallsaresidentialpayphone.Thestoryofawomanwhosurvivedgenocide,famine,poverty,andcrushinggrieftorisefromwartornAfricatothestreetsofSouthLondonandeventuallythedrawingroomsofBuckinghamPalace,WheretheChildrenTakeUsisanunforgettableportraitofstrength,tenacity,love,andperseveranceembodiedinonetoweringwoman.
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