The Immigrants' Daughter

the long version

Mary Terzian was born in Cairo to Armenian parents, refugees of the 1915 genocide. She lived and worked in Egypt, Congo, Togo and Lebanon before immigrating to the United States. Her memoirs of life in 1940s Cairo, seasoned with wit, portray struggles to safeguard her inner self, thwarting parents' obstinate adherence to outdated traditions. Willpower, perseverance, and self-confidence gained through education help her break conventional rules to bloom on her own.--From publisher description.