Every year I put together a list of the latest and greatest books about immigration drawn from my reading and your contributions. This is a great way for all of us to expand our awareness of the fast-growing world of immigration literature.
The short version: If you read a recently published book about immigration that you want to recommend, post it in the comments below and I’ll include it in the 2024 immigration book post.
BONUS! Enter to win a free book. Everyone who submits a book suggestion in the comments below will be entered into a raffle to win a copy of César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández’s new book Welcome the Wretched: In Defense of the Criminal Alien. I have an extra copy. If you win the raffle, I’ll mail it to you for free.
It’s really that simple. But here are some common questions I get asked just to make sure that everything is as clear as possible.
What will the blog post look like?
The upcoming blog post will look like last year’s reading list from summer 2023, which was one of my most popular posts ever. You’ll see that I break the book recommendations into different categories to make the post easier to read.
To avoid duplication, you may want to check that post to make sure your contributions haven’t already been shared previously.
The post will be published later this month.
What kinds of books are you looking for?
Please interpret this call for recommendations broadly, with an emphasis on diverse genres, formats, geographies, and time periods. General non-fiction books like Love Beyond Borders tend to make up the majority of books, but please think outside the box!
I also welcome:
fiction books with immigration as a major theme
graphic novels
academic manuscripts
manuals or how-to guides
biographies and autobiographies
poetry with immigration as a major theme
What do you mean by “immigration”?
You are also invited to interpret “immigration” broadly. Stories of the migrant journey are one obvious theme, but I would also welcome books that feature any form of human mobility or displacement, from stories of historic migration within the United States (think: The Warmth of Other Suns) to the magical realism of Yuri Herrera’s Signs Preceding the End of the World.
How recent should the book be?
I try to focus on very recently published books and forthcoming books. So I prefer books from 2024, but I would also accept books that were published in the latter half of 2023 but not included in last year’s book roundup. Nothing published earlier than June 2023 will be accepted.
How do I contribute?
To contribute, post a comment below with your recommendation. A simple author and title will do, although a link to the book online would also be helpful. I will give a shout-out to all of the contributors to the project so you will get credit.
The best posts will also share a sentence or two about why you love the book(s) that you are recommending. If someone else posts a book you like, leave a like (❤️) or comment so I know other people like it, too. Let’s build some community around this, after all.
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Hein de Haas's new book is great.
https://www.amazon.com/How-Migration-Really-Works-Divisive/dp/1541604318
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