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:
Human Capital by Laura Robson. A historical look at the ways that refugees have been viewed as sources of cheap labor. Pairs like grilled cheese and tomato soup with Refuge by Heba Gowayed, which explores state investment in refugees as workers and is fantastic -- but from 2022.
The Marauders: Standing up to Vigilantes in the American Borderlands by Patrick Strickland. A story of courageous people in the Arizona borderlands town of Arivaca who stand up to racism and extremism.
The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio - part memoir, part reporting, part “creative nonfiction.” a gutting but powerful and liberating read.
Asylum: Memoir and Manifesto by Edafe Okporo. Moving and deeply personal read by activist Nigerian gay man that exposes so much that is wrong with the system.
Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis by Jonathan Blizter. Captivating read by my favorite that recaps the political turmoil of Central America in the last 50 years told through the stories of immigrants and US policy. By my favorite immigration reporter.
Hein de Haas's new book is great.
https://www.amazon.com/How-Migration-Really-Works-Divisive/dp/1541604318
How Migration Really Works: The Facts About the Most Divisive Issue in ...
Who Gets Believed?: When the Truth Isn't Enough by Dina Nayeri
Human Capital by Laura Robson. A historical look at the ways that refugees have been viewed as sources of cheap labor. Pairs like grilled cheese and tomato soup with Refuge by Heba Gowayed, which explores state investment in refugees as workers and is fantastic -- but from 2022.
The Marauders: Standing up to Vigilantes in the American Borderlands by Patrick Strickland. A story of courageous people in the Arizona borderlands town of Arivaca who stand up to racism and extremism.
The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio - part memoir, part reporting, part “creative nonfiction.” a gutting but powerful and liberating read.
"A Man of Two Faces: a Memoir, a History, a Memorial" by Viet Thanh Nguyen
"Roman Stories" by Jhumpa Lahiri
"The Naked Don't Fear the Water" by Matthieu Akins
... and a few YA books, because young people need to learn about migration too...
"Everything Sad is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri
"Mexikid: a Graphic Memoir" by Pedro Martin
"Tethered to Other Stars" by Elisa Stone Leahy
Asylum: Memoir and Manifesto by Edafe Okporo. Moving and deeply personal read by activist Nigerian gay man that exposes so much that is wrong with the system.
Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis by Jonathan Blizter. Captivating read by my favorite that recaps the political turmoil of Central America in the last 50 years told through the stories of immigrants and US policy. By my favorite immigration reporter.
“Hangman” by Maya Bunyan (2023)
“Unshackled” and “Admitted “ by Soundarya Balasubramani (2023/24)
www.readunshackled.com
“Everyone Who Is Gone is Here” by Jonathan Blitzer (2024)
Humanizing Immigration: How to Transform Our Racist and Unjust System by Bill Ong Hing
Children of the Land by M. Hernandez Castillo
Solito by Javier Zamora