THE MAGIC OF NORMAL: Love, Hope and Beyond, strong woman tells her powerful life's story

THE MAGIC OF NORMAL: Love, Hope and Beyond
DR. MAKY ZANGANEH
Forbes Books
$9.99 Kindle edition, available now

Rating: 3.5* of five

The Publisher Says: In The Magic of Normal: Love, Hope and Beyond, Dr. Maky Zanganeh, an indomitable businesswoman and biotech CEO opens her heart to share an extraordinary journey marked by resilience, hope, and transformation. Known for her relentless ambition and groundbreaking achievements in the biotech industry, Maky’s life took an unexpected turn when she was diagnosed with cancer amidst the global turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her bustling life, filled with high-stakes projects and constant travel, was abruptly paused. The enforced stillness brought by her cancer treatments and the worldwide lockdown offered Maky a unique opportunity for introspection. Instead of succumbing to despair, she embraced this period as a catalyst for personal and professional growth. Her journey through treatment, combined with the stories of those she met along the way, forms the heart of this compelling narrative.

At MD Anderson Cancer Center, Maky encountered a wide range of individuals, each battling their own challenges with cancer. From the young couple facing a terminal diagnosis to the mother juggling the care of her two ill children, these stories of courage and love deeply resonated with her. These experiences not only provided solace during her own treatment but also reinforced her commitment to advancing medical research and innovation.

Maky’s professional achievements are as remarkable as her personal journey. She played a pivotal role in bringing revolutionary cancer treatments to the market, including the development of Imbruvica, a groundbreaking oral therapy for blood cancer. Her work has had a transformative impact on patient care, offering new hope and improved outcomes for countless individuals worldwide. These professional milestones underscore the book’s central theme: the profound intersection of science, innovation, and human resilience.

The Magic of Normal: Love, Hope and Beyond is much more than just a memoir; it is a beacon of inspiration for anyone facing life's interruptions. Maky’s story is a powerful reminder that even in the face of immense adversity, it is possible to find strength, purpose, and hope. Her dedication to medical research and her unyielding spirit offer a roadmap for overcoming challenges and rediscovering the beauty in everyday life.

This book is dedicated to those whose lives have been upended by illness or global crises, and to those who dream of returning to the simple, yet profound, magic of normal. Maky’s message is clear: you are not alone. With courage, community, and the relentless pursuit of innovation, we can all navigate the darkest nights and emerge into the daylight of hope and recovery.

The Magic of Normal: Love, Hope and Beyond is a testament to the transformative power of a trailblazing and entrepreneurial spirit. Maky invites readers to join her on this journey, sharing lessons learned and the enduring belief that with perseverance, we can all find our way back to the magic of normal.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: Super-high achieving privileged lady gets smacked in the teeth by a scary medical crisis amid the recent global pandemic.

Damn...even her crisis is an overachiever.

This has the bones of an excellent, dramatically exciting story. What we get is a competent retelling of the events of a very interesting, laudably goal-driven life. There are no action items as one might reasonably expect from the title and publisher. Forbes Books is not the place I turn to for blood-stirring action stories.

Writing a memoir can often succumb to this "...then this happened, and I did that, but the other thing was still weighing me down..." rhythm that leaches the important events of their impact. We do not, in fact, need to know everything but need you to think deeply and with vulnerability about why things happened, how it made you feel, and what the results of that were. Otherwise it's a Wikipedia article with fewer citations.

I am morally certain that Dr. Maky would be a hit on a coffee date. I suspect she's a solidly skilled listener. As the one listening, I wish she had used some of that success-building listening, thinking about how others need you to deliver your message, writing this book.

It's A LOT harder than it looks to make reality interesting on a page. The events are worthy of a four, the telling of a two, so three and a half gets the nod.