THE LAND OF MY ANCESTORS’ SEPULCHERS

In the final act of Shakespeare’s, The Tempest, Miranda is quoted as saying, “Oh wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world that has such people in’t.” Author Miranda P. Yeoh named for this very character expresses this same indefatigable optimism in her inspiring memoir The Land of My Ancestors’ Sepulchers: And the World of a Teacher-Researcher. In a life not without hardship, Miranda shares her story: one of resiliency and unwavering dedication to God, science, learning, teaching, and honoring her family and ancestry. This is a must-read as a memoir but also as a paradigm for teachers and a guide for how to succeed in life.

As a child in Penang (Malaysia), Miranda lived in an extended family, including her father, mother, aunt, uncle, cousins, and her grandmother. Family tensions and a relatively absent mother became the norm for her. In a short time, it becomes clear that her father, Aunt CL, her grandmother, and her cousins will be the most important and influential family members throughout her life. Her wise and dutiful father reminiscent of Atticus Finch in admirability encourages her learning early on and this all starts with her love of his library of Classics Illustrated. Growing up in this area, a multi-cultural melting pot, Miranda had a keen sense of her ancestry and the diversity of that history. As she grows older, she fondly holds on to her local family ancestry but also develops a global perspective and the responsibility of being a citizen of the world. 

Miranda is obsessed with learning from an early age and eventually thrives in science, music, and teaching. Although her family practices a Chinese religion a combination of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, Miranda converts to Christianity. Lessons learned from her family and her new faith keep her grounded, hopeful, and generous throughout her life.

She excels as a teacher because of her dedication to never stop learning. She develops extraordinarily innovative pedagogical techniques including musical mnemonic strategies for learning science processes and formulae like RNA transcription. Her motivations are learning and her students. She strives to teach them problem solving for students to utilize in their own lives and so they have the tools to face global issues such as climate change and future pandemics.

Throughout this memoir, Miranda’s loyalty to her family and her faith in God are her guiding lights in life. These two anchors inform her philosophy of being dedicated to others. Open-minded, multi-disciplinary, and progressive, Miranda’s innovations in teaching and multiple publications in pedagogy are remarkable. Her adherence to the 4C’s critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration inform her career as well as her general approach to life. This was a really fascinating read about one who is scientific and spiritual, traditional and modern, family centered and globally aware. 

Everyone has a story. Miranda’s story is as engaging and encouraging as is her outlook on life. I definitely recommend this one as being a great memoir written by a devoted teacher.

- Pacific Book Review

"I wasn’t afraid to be alone; it was time to reflect and pray."

In this book, readers discover a life of cultural balance, educational pursuit, and familial devotion. At its core is a careful examination of the author’s faith, which serves as the cornerstone of her life. Yeoh’s work also explores her unique ancestry. She is a descendant of the Peranakan, who, in the 1400s, sailed the seas and established themselves in places like Malaysia.

Other sections of the book discuss the value of constantly challenging one’s intellect as the narrative shares about the author’s educational endeavors as a lifelong learner. Throughout the book, readers also gain insight into how to overcome adversity, struggle, and the surprising conflicts that form the loud or quiet storms in life. By the book’s end, readers have not only traveled through one person’s unique and well-lived experiences but also discovered the author’s insights about how to live a full, meaningful spiritual life.

This book is part memoir, part spiritual devotion. The book’s power lies in the way it interweaves personal reflection, memories, and scripture with quiet encouragement to keep pursuing a better life and a better tomorrow. Also, the author’s work opens significant questions about identity and ancestry and poses unique ideas about what it means to be a global citizen. Yeoh’s book also makes readers think about how their actions impact others and the importance of carefully considering their words and actions. For those looking for a faith-based memoir, this is an excellent read, one that they are sure to recommend to many others time and time again.

- The US Review of Books