A review by booksnbrains
Such Good Work by Johannes Lichtman

3.5

I enjoyed this quick read, even if it did feel a bit "white boy trying to make himself feel better about the injustice of the world" at times. At least the author was upfront with the ridiculousness that is the "white savior" and acknowledged the fact that Westerners often do things just to relieve their own guilt without thought for consequences, that empathy is often a tool for self-aggrandizement rather than a true emotional response. This is the story of Jonas Anderson, a 20-something recovered drug addict who finds himself in college in Sweden in the middle of the "refugee crisis" of 2015. There are many touching moments and occasional humor, including some good digs at American privilege and our current government. I just would prefer not to read another book about a white male trying to make himself feel better (the book is called Such Good Work!), but I was pleased with the humanizing of refugees and the self-awareness of the main character.