Myra L Weiner

Uprooting the Poison Tree Myra L Weiner

In Uprooting The Poison Tree, the author traces her journey from a young girl fascinated with nature and biology to a mature woman who has fulfilled her dreams professionally and personally. She showcases her perseverance in seeking a doctorate in pharmacology from a medical school at a time when a woman's role was seen as mother and homemaker not a professional. Her path leads to a successful career as a corporate toxicologist for a large chemical company. Throughout, she uses carefully chosen poisons as metaphors for some of her "toxic" experiences, including a mentally ill sister, a father who was both a mentor and abuser, and a judgmental mother. She finds emotional "antidotes" to overcome each obstacle, including observance of the Jewish faith and its spirituality. This book will inspire those interested in science, those who have had abusive or unrewarding relationships, women in male-dominated professions, those seeking spiritual connections and meaning in religious practices, and those trying to find a soulmate later in life.