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A review by mldavisreads
My Name Is Tani . . . and I Believe in Miracles: The Amazing True Story of One Boy's Journey from Refugee to Chess Champion by Tani Adewumi, Kayode Adewumi, Oluwatoyin Adewumi, Craig Borlase, Tanitoluwa Adewumi
5.0
Memoir. This book tells the story of the Adewumi family, who escaped Boko Haram in Nigeria and became refugees in the US. After Kayode (the father) refused to print posters for Boko Haram in his print shop, he was a target for the group. The family tried to move to another city in Nigeria but were followed. After a stint with a family member in Dallas, they eventually ended up in New York City. Here the younger son Tanitoluwa (Tani for short) became enamored with chess. As his parents try to make it with various low-paying jobs, it becomes clear that Tani has a real talent for chess and that he loves the "deep thinking" that comes with it. As Kayode says, this story illustrates that "talent is universal, opportunity is not."
This book was amazing to listen to on audio. It was done by three narrators, one for Tani, one for his father Kayode, and one for his mother Oluwatoyin. I at first thought that the parents narrated their own chapters because the speakers shared the accent, but that was not the case. This book was a great reminder of the good that the US is capable of. It was also a wonderful story of humility. After not being able to work in Dallas without the necessary papers, Kayode is honored to work in New York. He starts off working the night shift cleaning up at a restaurant, which is very intense physical work at a very low rate. But he is so honored that he once again can work for his family. I loved learning about this beautiful family, who were always quick to thank God for the good things in their lives. I also appreciated the glimpse into Nigerian culture. A wonderful, feel-good true story.
This book was amazing to listen to on audio. It was done by three narrators, one for Tani, one for his father Kayode, and one for his mother Oluwatoyin. I at first thought that the parents narrated their own chapters because the speakers shared the accent, but that was not the case. This book was a great reminder of the good that the US is capable of. It was also a wonderful story of humility. After not being able to work in Dallas without the necessary papers, Kayode is honored to work in New York. He starts off working the night shift cleaning up at a restaurant, which is very intense physical work at a very low rate. But he is so honored that he once again can work for his family. I loved learning about this beautiful family, who were always quick to thank God for the good things in their lives. I also appreciated the glimpse into Nigerian culture. A wonderful, feel-good true story.