Why read Refuge?

Book cover of Refuge

Book description

“Rich and colorful… [Refuge] has the kind of immediacy commonly associated with memoir, which lends it heft, intimacy, atmosphere.” –New York Times

The moving lifetime relationship between a father and a daughter, seen through the prism of global immigration and the contemporary refugee experience.

An Iranian girl escapes to America…

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Coming of age

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Why read it?

2 authors picked Refuge as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Rebecca Hamlin

Author

I couldn’t stop listening to this book. This autobiographical tale of a girl who flees Iran, grows up in the United States, and migrates to Europe is powerful and poignant in a way only a really good story can be. It perfectly captures the sense of being from multiple places but never truly at home. Nayeri has also written excellent nonfiction on the topic of migration and refuge, but this book has stayed with me and remains one of my favorite novels.

From Rebecca's list on The best books to really understand global migration.

Helen Benedict

Author

Nayari's novel is also about Iranian refugees, but this story is set in Amsterdam, where an Iranian professional is struggling with her marriage, her identity, and her relationship with her father, who is still in Iran. While living in Europe, she learns of the dire straits faced by refugees from all over the Middle East and Africa, which makes for powerful and moving reading.

The writing is so intelligent and honest that this is one of my favorite novels of today.

From Helen's list on The most honest novels about being a refugee.