Where the Children Take Us: How One Family Achieved the Unimaginable

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In this spellbinding memoir, popular CNN anchor Zain Asher pays tribute to her mothers strength and determination to raise four successful children in the shadow of tragedy.
Awaiting the return of her husband and young son from a road trip, Obiajulu Ejiofor receivesshattering news. Theresbeen a fatal car crash, and one of themis dead.

InWhere the Children Take Us,Obiajulus daughter, Zain E. Asher, tells the story of her mothers harrowingfighttoraisefour childrenas a widowed immigrantin South London.Drawing on tough-love parenting strategies, Obiajulu teaches her sons and daughters to overcome thedaily pressures of poverty, crime and prejudice and much more. With her relentless support, the childrenexceed all expectations becominga CNN anchor, an Oscar-nominated actor Ashers older brother is Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Year A Slave) a doctor and a thriving entrepreneur.

The generations-old Nigerian parentingtechniquesthat lead to the family's salvationwereborn in the village whereyoungObiajulu andArinze meetwith their country on the brink of war.Together, they emigrate to London in the 1970s to escapethe violence,butsoonconfront adifferent set of challenges in the West.

When grief threatens to engulf her fractured familyafter the accident, Obiajulu, suddenly a single mother in a foreign land, refuses to accept defeat. As her children veer down the wrongpath, sheinstills afamilybook club with Western literary classics,testing theirresolveand challenging their deeper understanding. She plasters newspaper clippings of Black success stories on the walls, all whilerunningShakespearetheatre lines with her son and finishing homework into the early morning with Zain. When distractions persist, she cuts the TV cord and installs a residential pay phone.

The story of a woman who survived genocide, famine, poverty and crushing grief to rise from war torn Africa to the streets of South London and eventually the drawing rooms of Buckingham Palace,Where the Children Take Usis an unforgettable portrait of strength, tenacity, love and perseverance embodied in one towering woman.

Reviews

A deeply moving and riveting memoir. The courage and resilience displayed by Zain Asher's mother leave a lasting impression, and offer valuable lessons for raising a family no matter the circumstances
Arianna Huffington, Founder & CEO, Thrive Global

This powerful and beautiful memoir has so many of the aspects of life we relate to, sincerely appreciate, and remind us of the depths of our humanity. Overcoming tragedy, the strength in family, and the unstoppable spirit of a mother who made the greatest sacrifice to better the lives of her children
Common, Academy Award and Grammy Award winning actor/rapper and New York Times best-selling author

A heartwarming love letter to a mother who miraculously pushes through tragedy to steer her children toward their seemingly impossible dreams, through a methodology all her own
David Oyelowo, Golden Globe nominated actor, Selma

An incredible personal story of tragedy, triumph and what's possible when you persevere, while keeping a firm hold on who you are and where you come from."
Don Cheadle, award-winning actor, producer and director

Author Bio

Zain Ejiofor Asher was born to first-generation Nigerian parents in South London. She was raised by her mother after losing her father in a tragic car accident when she was just five years old. A graduate of Oxford University and Columbia University, she is currently the anchor of One World with Zain Asher on CNN International. Ejiofor Asher's brothers are Oscar-nominated actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, successful entrepreneur Obinze. Her sister Kandibe is a doctor. She lives in New York City with her husband and two sons.