From Just Esther to Poly-Esther: Embracing Every Part of Yourself to Transform Your Life and Career

by Esther M. Alegria

Breaking through stereotypes, Dr. Esther M. Alegria challenges the notion that promotions are limited to the privileged few. Raised in a low-income area with scarce resources, she overcame obstacles to achieve a thriving career in the pharmaceutical industry.

In From Just Esther to Poly-Esther, Dr. Alegria emphasizes the keys to transforming a vision into passion, persistence, and a willingness to seize opportunities—and a lot of laughter. As she reflects on her humble origins and tells the story of her career, she shares valuable insights and traits for readers to integrate into their lives to find their own sense of self-awareness and fulfillment.

With heartfelt sincerity and playful humor, Dr. Alegria encourages personal growth, empowering others to forge their unique paths. Discover how her journey from adversity to success can inspire you to unlock your true potential.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help

191 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 21, 2024

Reviews

[Mike Woodbury · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story of a woman who despite many obstacles obtained an education and a career as a scientist, innovator and leader. It’s an easy an uplifting read, but I didn’t find it particularly engrossing or inspiring. There is a lot of good advice about not giving up, believing in one’s self and laughing at one’s foibles. She comes across as an inspiring mentor to others, but the book didn’t speak to me on a personal level. I found myself comparing myself to the author and coming up short. No doubt that says more about me than her.

[Rissa Mineral · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let rage drive you until you can hand the wheel to joy.

I’ve never seen someone describe how much feeling trapped can make you want to die as clearly, accurately, dryly, or humorously as this author - and then the ensuing journey forward. She was definitely writing for accessibility and you can see some tone changes when she hits a subject too interesting to simplify. Biologists with drive, grit, and humor. Love to read about another in the wild!

[Katerina Molchanova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice cute biography

It's a very easy reading book. Through sharing her career journey, Esther provides lessons learnt and advice.
It's unlikely that you find some breakthrough ideas here. But sometimes everything that is needed is a little bit of motivation.

[CarlitasFox · Rating 5 out of 5]

A transforming book
“From Just Esther to Poly-Esther” is definitely an educational and life-changing book written by Esther M. Alegria.
Along these pages, Esther talks about the importance of challenging yourself to discover your potential in life. No matter what you’ve chosen to study, you should embrace the process of learning, growing and challenging yourself all the time. By doing so, you’ll be able to be open to new opportunities and enjoy life.
I really liked this book because the author encourages people to make the most of their lives and careers. To believe in every step, opportunity and in themselves to fulfil their objectives. It’s a teaching, engaging and life-changing book that highlights personal growth over adversity. In a way, whenever people work hard and with their beliefs, they can achieve anything. It’s a must-read.

[Steven Finkelstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is hard to love and embrace every part of yourself. Few every accomplish it. It is a journey, and one that author Esther Alegria is still on. However, while she acknowledges that growth must continue every day of our lives, she has made impressive strides, and now, she wants to pass on what she has learned.

Dr. Alegria was raised in a low-income family. She had many obstacles to overcome, but she was able to do so with grace and dignity. It wasn’t easy, but the doctor is able to talk about her missteps and triumphs with humor and insight. This book has many surprisingly funny parts, and many touching ones as well. Taken together, they comprise the story of a remarkable life, and one that can teach the reader many valuable lessons.

[Chico's Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the author's inspiring and highly engaging memoir from a modest family upbringing in Puerto Rico to a CEO and chief innovation officer. I have learned much from her anecdotes and entertaining lessons about leadership, resilience, and self-discovery. Preparation is vital; seizing every single opportunity that passes you, even if it's just a small window, is what I have learned from her. For me the author's writing style was highly relatable, engaging, and honest, making the book much easier to understand, even with some technical and complex ideas about her profession. She is an empowered woman with so much perseverance and uniqueness. It is a highly motivational read, especially if you seek to work on yourself and embrace your chosen path.

[Marina Lujan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book honors the author's incredible strength and determination. Her personal journey imparts valuable lessons, offers practical advice, and shares inspiring stories of turning dreams into reality starting from a young age.

From Just Esther to Poly-Esther has genuinely prompted me to reconsider many things. Dr. Alegría's story inspired me deeply by demonstrating how dedication and effort can transform lives, regardless of initial challenges. She showed me that initial circumstances do not determine our destiny, but how we embrace our passions and strive to achieve our goals. Discovering this unknown author for me was revealing. Her story of self-improvement and achievement inspired me to pursue my own ambitions with renewed vigor. I recommend this enriching read!

[Saya Jacaranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I related so much

This memoir is really a compelling journey of resilience and aspiration. The author's life has definitely not been an easy one, but resilience is the key. She manages to transition from humble beginnings in Puerto Rico to significant achievements in the biopharmaceutical industry. The narrative is moved by the protagonist's dream to enhance healthcare. But she encounters numerous obstacles such as economic hardship, language barriers, and limited education. Familial responsibilities are also a big topic here. I related so much in this area. I got to feel a deep sense of admiration for the author. She is a strong person, definitely someone to look up to. I learned that perseverance is a must if you want to make it. This is a beautiful book to read.

[Agustina Sureda · Rating 4 out of 5]

From Just Esther to Poly-Esther is a book written by Esther M. Alegria that puts stereotypes on the spot by sharing insights on achieving success no matter where you are coming from. Dr. Alegria's shares her journey coming from a low-income area achieving a thriving career in the pharmaceutical industry.

I enjoyed this book a lot; it contains humor, while also educating and inspiring the readers. The author shares her story while providing a note on self-awareness and fulfillment.

This narrative inspires and leaves you with a sense of "yes, you can!" which can lead to new and brighter opportunities. No matter where you are and how much money you have, if you keep pushing, things will come to you! Great reading.

[Mayra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful book by Esther M. Alegria is a formidable and stimulating tool that helped me a lot while going through an important personal process. “From Just Esther to Poly-Esther'' faces stereotypes and presents interesting points to achieve success no matter the personal background. Along the pages of this book, Dr. Alegria shares her personal voyage from a low-income area to a thriving career in the pharmaceutical industry. I see her own story to be full of power, passion, persistence, and taking opportunities. The message of the book is as important as the way in which the author passes it on. The language chosen is gentle and firm, the reading feels like a chat with an incredible friend. I see this as one of the most important aspects of this literary work. 5 stars for sure.

[Celeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her deeply moving and profoundly insightful book, From Just Esther to Poly-Esther, Esther M. Alegria takes readers on an inspiring journey through her life and her career. I liked that the author maintains a very sincere and heartfelt tone throughout the narrative, and that at the same time employs humour to transmit her message. The book is enjoyable and easy to read since the author blends her personal story with universal lessons, making it a must-read for anyone seeking to uncover their true potential. What I enjoyed the most about this book is the author's evident ability to turn some concepts of personal growth and self-awareness into accessible and actionable insights. She shares valuable traits and practices and encourages readers to integrate these into their own lives.

[Lauren Hugney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was my first book in this type of memoir/advice genre, and I quite enjoyed it. I may be biased because my college degree and career surrounds the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, so i understood the pun of the title and appreciated her craft. I have much respect for the author, and I truly admire her courage and bravery to pioneer this amazing career for herself. She is such a teacher, and at the end of the novel she really made me reflect on myself.

I would have loved if she talked more about her hobbies along the way rather than making the majority of the book fairly business casual. But that is an opinion rather than a rating of the material!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Motivational

Highly motivating book! It's so nice to read a simple, humble account of a person's life, someone who went from barely scraping by to not only being a success in their career, but working in a career that is their dream job, in a field that's their passion. The writing here is nice and easy, well-written but also casual and simple and to the point. Great motivation for a reader to see how it's possible to get to where you want to be in life, even after you've had a marriage and a family, it's not too late. Enjoyable read, and I'd be interested in reading other books by this author.

[S Tyty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I speak Spanish and I know Alegria, the author’s surname, means happiness in English. I guess she was born to write an inspiring book like this one and make us all feel a bit happier about our present and our future. I believe in coincidence, for sure.
This self-help book is well-structured, each and every work touches our minds and our souls. The main core of the narrative is helping us understand that there are no excuses to embrace love and happiness and to accomplish whatever we propose.
The author’s own life story is what allows us to feel that this is possible. If she could thrive in this life, why wouldn’t we?

[Mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of us at some point in life have believed that top positions in companies are for a few and that it will be impossible to reach those dreamed positions; but in this book, the author not only with a series of tips, but with her story as an example of overcoming, shows us that if we work with passion, will and perseverance to transform your life and the vision you have for your future you can reach your goal.
I loved reading this story of self-improvement that really inspired me a lot. Besides this, it also gives you keys to achieve it with ease and happiness which is the most important thing.

[Aneley Sánchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring!

I have to say that I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but the cover caught my attention and after I have read it, I can say that it was a good choice. From Just Esther To Poly-Esther by Esther M. Alegria is an entertaining story based on the author’s own story.
She tells her journey from her beginnings in a humble environment to finding her path of satisfaction and fulfillment. I liked it because it is written in a simple and sincere way. Some parts of the story are hard but the author has a unique touch of humor to tell them. I honestly enjoyed it and I think I learned a lot from this story.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

We can all develop our skills, abilities and competencies to overcome our limitations, broaden our horizons and improve our well-being. That is precisely what Dr. Alegria shares with us in this reading. It helps us get rid of the psychological limitations that bind us and allows us to reach our full potential, the best version of ourselves. By honing skills we can deal with everyday situations more effectively and achieve our goals successfully.
One of the things to highlight about this reading is that Dr. Alegria opens her heart and shares aspects of it in an extremely human and sensitive way. I certainly recommend this book that makes us grow as humans, in order to unlock our potential.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overcoming adversity to achieve personal and professional success is a very exciting and temperamental path. Dr. Alegria memoir illustrates her personal journey, her beginnings and how she thrived with persistence and taking chances to be the person she wanted to be.
I like that she says readers should embrace their own life journey, focus on what life has to offer and be on the look for opportunities and chances to work on them. She also talks about finding humor in every challenge in life, the only way to keep going.
To conclude, I think this read is really relatable and inspiring to anyone having career challenges or just looking for motivation to go for their dreams and goals.

[Eula C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good Read

The author set out to provide insight for transforming the reader’s life and career. First, the author would do that by telling the story of her life and her past. Her past and the struggles she overcame provides encouragement to the reader. I expected a few more principles for transformation. The book bounced between the author’s difficulties, her methods of persistence, and an autobiography. If the reader pays close attention, you can still hear her struggles of inadequacies in the book. She offers very good advice on being a good person and overcoming barriers. Just a little light on principles to achieving career objectives.

[Mia C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book really inspiring. Esther Alegria's journey from adversity to success shows the power of perseverance. I liked how she challenges stereotypes and shares her personal story with sincerity and humor. Her emphasis on passion, persistence, and seizing opportunities was what I liked the most. The book is full of practical insights and traits for personal growth and self-awareness. The author's journey encourages readers to embrace their uniqueness and pursue their dreams with determination. I highly recommend this book because of its motivational message and empowering narrative.

[Mallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 or 3.5 stars
I appreciate the meaning behind the book but even as she said she struggled during her journey, the story was so sped up that we didn’t get to feel a sense of the struggle. At less than 200 pages, the story started with her before children and ends with her semi-retired as a grandmother. I would have loved to get more insight into her day-to-day living as a mother while balancing her academics.

[Melissa Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is such a good story about Esther and how she overcame so much, but it felt something was missing at times. And I came in thinking this was going to be a guide, but it felt at times, more of a memoir. I appreciate that she points out the here's how to "transform your life and career" methods and summarizes them pretty well, but the balance wasn't always there. It was nice to see the questions at the end to reflect and grow from each situation. Overall, it was a good story.

[Amy Bivens · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Sr Manager, who once was a little girl in a two room, rundown mobile home, I found myself identifying with the author throughout her journey. This really made the read more interesting, as I kept waiting to see what other similarities may arise throughout the book. I really love that she really embodied the struggles, but also laid them out in a way that’s relatable and humorous. I feel like at this point in my own journey if I didn’t laugh, I would cry. Great work, I enjoyed reading this.

[ND15read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part memoir and part self-help book. The author has a nice conversational style with writing so it’s an easy read. Good discussion questions for reflection after each chapter. I would say that condensing the introductions to just the new sections of the book would be helpful instead of one for each chapter. A good read though!

[Julia Steivang · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an easy read and super nice for young professionals. We’re often stuck inside ourselves, and scared to take leaps - Esther talks about all the leaps she took in her life, and there were many.
I also enjoyed the questions at the end of each chapter. I’ll definitely go back to those from time to time!

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I great story about a women who overcame many obstacles and found her way to success.

[Jackie Vanlandingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice, easy to read book. I would highly recommend this book to all my friends.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very engaging memoir! Overcoming obstacles to build a career and a life to love.

[AMAO · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Heza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting But Rambling Read

This memoir was at time entertaining and at times inspiring. Esther definitely has a “rag to riches” success story to tell. The writing was a bit disorganized but I still enjoyed it. It was written as sort of a part memoir, part self-help business book which I found a bit awkward. I think it would have been best as just a straight memoir and include more about the mentors and friends who helped Esther rise to the level of achievement she attained.