In Memory of Sermo and Pepper Plant, the Memoir of a Shingkhar Lauripa beautifully captures a village boy's long journey to Thimphu. It is both a physical and metaphorical journey characterized by grit, determination, and resilience in the face of pervasive poverty, tragedy, and tribulations. The author and protagonist successfully completes the long and arduous educational journey, emerging as the first person in four generations from his family to earn a university degree - a remarkable achievement that extends beyond individual triumph to encompass the pride of his family and village. At times heartbreaking, at times uplifting, and at times illuminating, this memoir is more than the story of a person. It is the story of a family, a village, and a country. And an integral part of the story is a faithful horse, Sermo, and a pepper plant. Tempa Gyeltshen tells his story poignantly and evocatively. It will appeal to anyone capable of feeling.