Title: Struggle to the Top of the Mountain
Subtitle: Story of Courage, Determination, Focus and Results
Author: Ernest D. Simela, M.D.
Publisher: PageTurner Press and Media
ISBN: 979-8-89174-135-5
Pages: 234
Genre: Biography
Reviewed by: Lily Amanda

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Life’s journey is marred by obstacles and setbacks. Many times, you become disheartened and demoralized and wonder why you even bothered to try to achieve your dreams and aspirations. However, the trick to overcome these hurdles is to remember the future belongs to those who press on. Life is not about finding a safe haven during a storm, but rather twirling in that rain until it’s over and you made it. Struggle to the Top of the Mountain: Story of Courage, Determination, Focus and Results is the inspiring odyssey of one man from a rural village in Africa, who beat all the odds set before him to become a renowned pediatrician in Roosevelt, New York.

Born in the rustic countryside of Zimbabwe in Southern Africa, in a meager but warm home, Ernest D. Simela enjoyed the pure unsullied pleasure of childhood fun and games, while simultaneously developing a work ethic at an early age, spending some of his time helping his parents in the fields. He joined various schools as he progressed in his education ladder, where he formed the crucial decision which ended up shaping his life; to become a medical doctor. Zimbabwe, at the time, was witnessing various reforms under the colonial leadership marked by the growing nationalist views among its citizens which would form a road map to the country’s independence. These factors had an indirect impact on Ernest’s education.

However, the sky was the limit for him despite numerous roadblocks on the way, such as a tormenting jail experience and spending three months in a Botswanan refugee camp. Building his resilience and perseverance from these challenges and more, Ernest eventually got a chance to go live and study in America with the help of his elder sister and her husband in 1968.  From the prestigious Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York after a fourteen-year struggle, Ernest D. Simela ultimately reached the top of the mountain, serving as a true testament of the treasure troves of persistence, determination and resoluteness.

The writer leaves no stone unturned as he shares in great detail and incisiveness every stage of his learning progress and his experiences in various learning institutions, both in Zimbabwe and the US. He does not stop there and pays homage to the many people who served as an encouragement, expressing his gratitude to them such as his high school teacher, Mrs. Naka Simela, ultimately demonstrating the community uplift that everyone hopes for during various stages of their lives. Author Simela lends a human face to his work, through his mastery of language, creating a startlingly beautiful life – breaking embroidery that speaks to your heart and soul.

Struggle to the Top of the Mountain by Ernest D. Simela is no doubt a victorious performance of endurance, honesty and success. There is so much to me here. The writing is powerful and penetrating and will leave you reflecting on your own life too. It’s a book you will find yourself going back to and flipping through. This is an absolute must-read with something for everyone.