My Story

The book has three parts. The first part is an autobiography of Muniras early life. Born during the Japanese occupation of Malaya, she grew up during a time of rapid changes, going to primary school in British Malaya and a secondary school in post-independence Malaya. She went abroad on a scholarship to a university in Australia and started teaching in newly founded Malaysia. Political changes introduced many new policies in education and exposed the ramifications of some hastily planned ones. Family members imposed exacting standards for personal behavior and for scholastic and other achievements. Through activities such as crafts and cooking, she learned many domestic skills and developed values that stood in good stead for the rest of her life and later contributed to high standards of professional achievements. In the second part, Munira describes the lives of family members who had major influences on her. In the third part, Munira shares the recipes of some of her favorite foods as she learned how to cook them with all the warnings of what could go wrong and with many tips to ensure that the product looks and tastes good. Readers get a glimpse of the cultural practices in a Malay home of the period.