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emilieonthemove's review against another edition
3.0
A worthwhile read; an admirable attempt to try and capture the refugee experience. Recommended especially for people who do not travel internationally or who live in a homogenous community.
A few of the essays were quite gripping, including God’s Fate, The Parent Who Stays, and The Ungrateful Refugee. Others felt disjointed or rambling. Many held commentary on current events that already date the book, although it was only published one year ago. Given that the theme was so broad, I wished that the essays were longer. It felt that as soon as I finally got absorbed into one, it would end and a new and entirely different voice would start.
A few of the essays were quite gripping, including God’s Fate, The Parent Who Stays, and The Ungrateful Refugee. Others felt disjointed or rambling. Many held commentary on current events that already date the book, although it was only published one year ago. Given that the theme was so broad, I wished that the essays were longer. It felt that as soon as I finally got absorbed into one, it would end and a new and entirely different voice would start.
constancemn's review against another edition
4.0
Many voices to hear in this well-selected compilation. It is a useful read for those of us (all of us) who too often categorize people as "us" and "other."
teenytinytina's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
bkish's review against another edition
4.0
I want to give this book very high rating for its intent and blunt honesty. These are different men and women who came to this country or to other countries as refugees. Its about their lives and the behavior of the others in their countries towards them. It is introduced and probably conceived by an outstanding author Viet Nguyen. All the other contributors are impressive and I think most are writers. Yet not everyone's writing contribution and telling of his or her life is worthy of a high or even adequate rating.
And in the background of all of this is the tragedy of humanity with regard to welcoming people who are not like them
Judy
And in the background of all of this is the tragedy of humanity with regard to welcoming people who are not like them
Judy
milesjmoran's review against another edition
5.0
This is a phenomenal book that I loved from start to finish and I can honestly say that I think this a vital piece of work that everyone should read. I was so impressed and moved by each and every essay that I immediately felt the urge to share it with as many people as possible. From Syria to Ethiopia to Vietnam, we hear a variety of voices of refugees who are relating their experiences of leaving their home country to find refuge elsewhere and the subsequent trauma they are still dealing and coming to terms with. It’s incredibly powerful and important to hear these stories and perspectives, especially in this current climate where refugees are demonised and reduced to a faceless, homogenous mass that poses a threat to our society. It was heartbreaking to read about everything these people have sacrificed and lost in order to be safe and find a better life, and these stories will stay with me forever.
rencordings's review against another edition
4.0
What an incredibly neat collection. Viet Thanh Nguyen did an amazing job curating these pieces from such diverse writers - people from different walks of life, different circumstances, and different beginnings and presents literally around the world.
Even though the name of the collection has the word "refugee" repeated twice, there are no two pieces that read the same. Every writer has their own beginning, their journey logistically vastly different from each other's, and even the way they perceive their current identity differs from each other though not drastically but nuanced enough to affirm the reader that no refugee experience is the same. At the same time, I can still see the connection that ties these pieces together, the oftentimes maddening musing about identity that fuels them. From the similarities in their treatment by the new host country, to the conflicted, simultaneous detachment from and attachment to their previous life and current life. These writers are physically so far apart yet their spiritual world echoes one another so vividly.
This poignant collection reaffirms gently but certainly the complexity of the refugee story - that despite propaganda perpetuated by empires, there's no one single cookie-cutter refugee story. And the least one can do is understand that each person carries with them a whole life worth of stories.
Even though the name of the collection has the word "refugee" repeated twice, there are no two pieces that read the same. Every writer has their own beginning, their journey logistically vastly different from each other's, and even the way they perceive their current identity differs from each other though not drastically but nuanced enough to affirm the reader that no refugee experience is the same. At the same time, I can still see the connection that ties these pieces together, the oftentimes maddening musing about identity that fuels them. From the similarities in their treatment by the new host country, to the conflicted, simultaneous detachment from and attachment to their previous life and current life. These writers are physically so far apart yet their spiritual world echoes one another so vividly.
This poignant collection reaffirms gently but certainly the complexity of the refugee story - that despite propaganda perpetuated by empires, there's no one single cookie-cutter refugee story. And the least one can do is understand that each person carries with them a whole life worth of stories.
05hamiltonk's review against another edition
5.0
This anthology does a wonderful job of showing how many different experiences refugees across the globe have. It also asks pertinent questions about how we view people who flee their home countries and those who leave due to poverty. It discusses loss of identity and what we can lose when assimilating and what is expected of refugees in their host countries. A really important read.
encyclopediabritanika's review against another edition
4.0
Each story was powerful and I wished they were all longer.