Five book recommendations for International Migrants Day
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You know that old saying, The grass is always greener on the other side? While it may be true for some, it isn’t always the case for the majority.
For some, leaving home in search of a new one will be one of the hardest things they’ll ever endure.
People leave home for many reasons. Sometimes, it’s a choice. Other times, it’s due to reasons out of their control—like escaping war, terrorism, or human rights violations.
There are endless reasons people migrate and seek refuge across borders. And, when they do, they share their experiences and stories in the hopes that they never forget their roots while establishing their voice and the courage to start a new chapter in life.
When I migrated to Australia in 2009, I was lonely and scared. I craved belonging—for the feeling of home. I tried to find it at a local Chinese takeaway, an Asian grocery store, and a karaoke bar—I even tried to find it in a temple, and I’m not even religious.
I eventually found it through the pages of books written by other migrants. In between the lines of their words, and every dog-eared page I wanted to save to read over again, I finally found a sense of home.
Migrant voices are critical in our development of a more global community. So, in honour of International Migrants Day, below is a list of books to add to your reading list. The more we learn about other people’s experiences, the more interconnected we become. And, what better place to start than to read and have the right conversations?
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous | Ocean Vuong
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written from the main character’s perspective, Little Dog, the letter excavates a family’s history that began long before he was born—a history rooted in Vietnam.
Vuong writes with stunning urgency and lyrical elegance as he tells of the lasting impact of war and a family’s struggle with migration.
Readers are left reeling from the emotional impact his prose offers, making us question the true cost of migration and how those who seek refuge due to unforgivable circumstances heal and rescue one another without sacrificing who they are.
The Hard Road Out | Jihyun Park & Seh-Lynn Chai
Throughout the years, only a tiny handful of people have succeeded in escaping North Korea. Jihuyn Park is one of these rare survivors, and in The Hard Road Out, we are shown the roads she had to take to attain her freedom.
By twenty-nine years old, Park had already witnessed enough suffering to last several lifetimes. Family members had died from starvation, and soldiers almost killed her brother. Nevertheless, Park fled with determination, not once, but twice. The first time she ran, she was forced to abandon her father on his deathbed—crossing the border under a storm of bullets. The second time she ran, she endured the hard road through the Gobi Desert and made her way into Mongolia.
Written alongside South Korean compatriot Seh-Lynn Chai, The Hard Road Out is a powerful and intricate book that offers readers a stark lesson about the importance of asylum.
Rebel | Rahaf Mohammed
In January 2019, then 18-year-old Saudi woman Rahaf Mohammed escaped from her family while holidaying in Kuwait. She was fleeing systematic abuse of her human rights as a woman growing up in Saudi Arabia and, specifically, her family’s threats to kill her because she desired freedom.
She boarded a plane bound for Bangkok en route to Australia, where she intended to seek asylum. But on her arrival, the Thai authorities, acting on the instructions of Saudi officials, detained Rahaf with the aim of returning her to her family. Knowing this would mean her death, Rahaf barricaded herself in an airport hotel room and appealed for help through social media, creating a Twitter storm and capturing the attention of government leaders, human rights advocates and media worldwide.
Rahaf was eventually taken under the protection of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and granted refugee status. When Australian authorities failed to respond with the urgency the situation required, Canada gave her asylum. Seven days after her ordeal began, she arrived in Toronto to start a new life.
Source: https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781760984984/
Escape From Manus | Jaivet Ealom
In 2013 Javiet Ealom fled Myanmar’s brutal regime and boarded a boat alongside other asylum seekers bound for Australia. Ealom was transported to Australia’s infamous Manus Regional Processing Centre upon arrival.
The days at Manus soon turned into years. Finally, Ealom took matters into his own hands. Facing either going to jail in Papua New Guinea or being returned to Myanmar, where he would surely die, Ealom drew inspiration from the hit TV show Prison Break and planned his escape.
How he made it to sanctuary in Canada in a six-month-long journey by endless means of transport is a miracle. His story will astound, provoke and inspire you. It will make readers reevaluate what it means to give refuge.
Unknown | Akuch Kuol Anyieth
In 1996, when Akuch Kuol Anyieth is five, her mother flees to Kakuma with her children, intent on finding safety and freedom for her family, while her husband stays behind in South Sudan to fight in the civil war. The family spends nine years in the camp, eking out an existence amidst famine, disease, unbearable heat, and chronic violence. Despite their suffering, Akuch never loses hope or her sense of humour. She’s a bright student who loves learning and does well at the local school.
In 2005, the family was finally granted a humanitarian visa to Australia. But the reality of their new lives in Melbourne is complex. As Akuch’s brother’s behaviour spirals out of control, the family find themselves isolated and struggling with various forms of racism.
But Akuch is determined. She learns English from scratch, excels in her educational achievements, and tries to live the life of a regular teenager. Above all, she does everything she can to help her family emerge from the bonds of violence.
Source: https://www.textpublishing.com.au/books/unknown-a-refugee-s-story
