Rating: 4/5

"I have to start my life again and I will do whatever it takes."

Author Jeanette Pham has not had an easy life, yet it is one she has made the best of through fortitude and positive thinking. Spanning her childhood in Vietnam, to her flight from her home country and her subsequent life in Australia, this memoir is an engrossing insight into the mind of a woman who is driven by the courage to make the best of what life has given her.

Pham, a scientist, penned this book as a means to raise money for charity. Despite the struggles she has faced in her life, there is a sense of peace and acceptance throughout the book. Pham does not dwell on the things that did not go well for her; rather, her writing is focused on the positives in her life and how she has made the best of her circumstances.

Despite this, her memoir is not a one-dimensional celebration of her life. In candidly sharing her thoughts and her journey, we learn more about the circumstances and culture that have shaped her. From the value placed on education in her childhood to the effects French colonisation had on her identity as Vietnamese, this memoir is eye-opening, educational, as well as emotional. Through her recollections, we vicariously live her escape from Vietnam, a harrowing journey that leaves you feeling her fear and uncertainty as she tries to reunite with her husband who was studying in Australia, and also after as she attempts to rebuild her life in Australia.

The memoir’s writing style has a factual, academic quality about it. Far from weighing it down, it lends the memoir a gravitas that dignifies its subject. While there are a few chapters detailing her work that may not be accessible to readers who are not versed in the intricacies of bacterial cultures, it is often Pham’s evident pride in her story that shine through, leaving us feeling like we too have partaken of her joy. Pham skilfully balances niche topics with those that have a broader appeal, such as family, education and charity work.

The Goat Milk Baby is a memoir of a person who truly feels complete and content with what she has. If you find yourself having time for just one memoir, The Goat Milk Baby should definitely be a contender. This is a memoir that will leave readers with a sense of tranquillity and a desire to adopt some of her positivity in our own lives.

This review was first published on Reedsy Discover on 16 December 2023.

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