New York Times (Parul Seghal): "[Ahmad’s] introduction is fiery and charismatic, almost outshining the pieces themselves. The book doesn’t exist to benignly bear witness or give voice but to dislodge the lazy, pernicious — and dominant — conceptions of migration, she writes, to tell a more truthful and sophisticated version than the linear narrative of departure, arrival and assimilation...This book encompasses the diversity of experience, with beautiful variations and stories that bicker back and forth."
11 New Books We Recommend This Week
New & Noteworthy
Los Angeles Times: "Migrant voices echo with wit, nostalgia and at times startling poignancy in The Penguin Book of Migration Literature...[Ahmad’s] introduction reads with a prophet’s passion and an academic’s sense of order."
Booklist: "Editor Ahmad's thoughtfully built anthology covers the span of 300 years and 30 countries, and readers will find satisfaction whether they read it section by section, or by randomly choosing selections as the mood strikes...The diversity of viewpoints and genres makes for an invaluable introduction to the personal dimensions of global immigration."
Kirkus Reviews: "a well-curated collection of literature about the migration experience...a first-rate starting point for exploring migration literature...a welcome, pocket-sized introduction to migration literature."
Language on the Move (Ingrid Pillar): Reading Challenge 2020 December pick; "a brilliant collection of migrant literature with pieces focused on the experience of leaving home, arriving in a destination, and creating, or trying to create, a new home."
New York Review of Books (Ariel Dorfman): "I am grateful for this anthology in our turbulent times.”
Words Without Borders: “Editor Dohra Ahmad has curated a challenging and insightful collection…Reading this book from cover to cover—as one seldom does with such a work—goes smoothly, largely due to the consistency of its selection and organization...The collection succeeds where politicians, international organizations, and even journalists sometimes fail because it reminds us of our common humanity. This thoughtful and provoking anthology from Penguin deserves its spot as the new cornerstone text for anyone interested in migration—indeed, the human condition—today.”
11 New Books We Recommend This Week
New & Noteworthy
Los Angeles Times: "Migrant voices echo with wit, nostalgia and at times startling poignancy in The Penguin Book of Migration Literature...[Ahmad’s] introduction reads with a prophet’s passion and an academic’s sense of order."
Booklist: "Editor Ahmad's thoughtfully built anthology covers the span of 300 years and 30 countries, and readers will find satisfaction whether they read it section by section, or by randomly choosing selections as the mood strikes...The diversity of viewpoints and genres makes for an invaluable introduction to the personal dimensions of global immigration."
Kirkus Reviews: "a well-curated collection of literature about the migration experience...a first-rate starting point for exploring migration literature...a welcome, pocket-sized introduction to migration literature."
Language on the Move (Ingrid Pillar): Reading Challenge 2020 December pick; "a brilliant collection of migrant literature with pieces focused on the experience of leaving home, arriving in a destination, and creating, or trying to create, a new home."
New York Review of Books (Ariel Dorfman): "I am grateful for this anthology in our turbulent times.”
Words Without Borders: “Editor Dohra Ahmad has curated a challenging and insightful collection…Reading this book from cover to cover—as one seldom does with such a work—goes smoothly, largely due to the consistency of its selection and organization...The collection succeeds where politicians, international organizations, and even journalists sometimes fail because it reminds us of our common humanity. This thoughtful and provoking anthology from Penguin deserves its spot as the new cornerstone text for anyone interested in migration—indeed, the human condition—today.”