We are talking about a book by Mannie Veneno, a US based author. Title of the book is : I’ll Be Your Light: You Have to Be Strong to Survive. Its an autobiography, where he talks about the domestic abusive which his grandmother faced in Pakistan and his mother faced in USA. Moving to a new country and new place didnt change the situation for his mother or his siblings. Neglect, abuse, and starvation all are part of Mannie Veneno’s family legacy of pain.
People go through good times, bad times, breakups, decisions, and moments where all we need is someone to tell us it was all going to be fine. It’s helpful and inspiring on a practical level, but what makes it more relevant and crucial in this moment is that it reveals fundamental truths about being a person. But things turn ugly when you face abuses in family for generations and there is no one around you to make you feel stronger. As an adult making his way in the world, its even more difficult.
Story starts in Pakistan, where author’s grandmother was married to an abusive husband. His mother was forced to marry a Pakistani gangster at a young age. Things didnt change even after moving to the United States for a better life. Mannie, his mother and his siblings were victims of his nightmarish rage. With an abusive dad and a mom who couldn’t walk away, Mannie didn’t have role models to emulate. Everyone around him was either gang members, criminals, or addicts-and he didn’t see a clear path forward. Making matters worse, he was often bullied in school and teased because of his poor English. As an adult making his way in the world, Mannie now has a choice: continue the cycle or be a light in the darkness, a hope for others to keep going.
Very well-written story that will make you fall in the love with some of the characters and at the sametime you will hate to the core some characters. It’s a book that inspires empathy, tolerance, and kindness; it makes the reader want to be a better person.
