Refugee Literature

Refugees are very much in the news these days.  A refugee crisis continues.  The number of refugees in the world has reached the highest level ever recorded, according to figures published by the United Nations; the number of people displaced by conflict – refugees, asylum seekers or those displaced internally – is estimated at over 65 million. 

Recently, Donald Trump signed an executive order that temporarily closed America’s borders to entry for citizens from seven (predominantly Muslim) countries, and indefinitely closed them to Syrian refugees.  The ban has been suspended, but undoubtedly the U.S. Supreme Court will have to hear the case.

Literary Hub recently recommended a number of works of literature either written by refugees or about the refugee experience:  http://lithub.com/15-works-of-contemporary-literature-by-and-about-refugees/.  The last book on that list is These are the Names by Tommy Wieringa which I read and reviewed last December:  http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/12/review-of-these-are-names-by-tommy.html.  I highly recommend it.

Signature has also suggested a dozen books to help people understand the refugee experience: http://www.signature-reads.com/2017/02/12-books-understand-refugee-experience/?cdi=321A47B09DAD4547E0534FD66B0AE227&ref=PRH24BB520913.  One of the books on that list is All the Light we Cannot See by Anthony Doerr which I reviewed back in September of 2015:  http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2015/09/review-of-2015-pulitzer-prize-for.html.