Reader's Reviews

Major Inspiration

Irene Conlan "Irene" (AZ)

The astronauts are said to have "The right stuff." If "The Right Stuff" means all the qualities necessary to achieve big things, then Jin Kyu Robertson also has "The right stuff." This book is her story.

Her story is well told, interesting, compelling.

Life can't be much harder than growing up in a war torn country, in poverty, with an alcoholic mother. Not only did Jin Kyu survive - she eventually thrived. And she wasn't successful because people rose to the occasion to help a little girl with ambition. She was successful because she knew what she wanted and went after it with patience, hard work and endurance. She didn't give up. Her life story brings to mind the image of someone running an obstacle course - they don't know where or what the obstacles are until they are in front of their face. Jin had to change direction frequently, take detours, regroup, stop, make a lateral move, go back a few paces. No matter what happened, she got up and continued on, finding new ways to proceed.

This is a story that should be read by everyone having a pity party because they think their life is tough. It should be read by everyone who thinks the challenges are simply too big to tackle and the road to success and happiness too tortuous to travel. Her journey from being a child in Korea, coming to the United States with only $100 to work as a maid, becoming an Officer in the U.S. Army and getting a Ph.D. from Harvard makes what most complainers have experienced look like child's play.

This book should be on the required reading list in every school in the U.S., Japan and Korea. And if it is translated into more languages, it should be required reading in that country as well.