Julep

5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A beautifully written and illustrated memoir with exceptional detail, clarity and food for thought.

This wonderful memoir took me back to a time when I was a child and to a place that I never could have imagined. I was captivated as I read about the author's vivid experiences with people I never knew and places I'd never been, but which came alive through Ms. Dopirak's wonderful gift of storytelling.
Living in India with servants and nannies and gardeners, but in a loving family of modest means and noble aspirations; experiencing life-threatening illnesses and exposures that couldn't be treated with either "modern medicine" or "quick fixes;" leaving home at a very young age for boarding school and the hardships (as well as good times) that ensued; sailing to America for the very first time when war and great peril hovered menacingly, only to bond with family members and later return to India and to boarding school for the duration of her parents' assignment. These are the nuts and bolts of a great story told with wonderful detail and clarity. There is a place for this book in our schools: in social studies; in history classes; in English classes. It has potential for great discussions and I highly recommend it!