Books about immigrants

[BaBaBa]

Over the past year I have found myself reading a lot authors who write about the immigrant experience in America.

Jhumpa Lahiri, Junot Diaz, Dagoberto Gilb and Ha Jin come to mind.

I have been profoundly affected by this point of view. I live in a rural area which is very white and on the rare occasion that I see someone of another ethnicity I feel like I just want to approach them and say 'hi' and talk to them.

I would love to some day work with immigrants to help them adjust to their new lives.

Anyone else have a similar experience or book recommendations?

[jimblejamble]

I haven't read this book but I've heard it's great. It's called "Out of This Furnace" and is about Slovakian immigrants.

[kangamitroo]

i'm so glad you have found yourself moved by stories of immigrants. literature is amazing, no?
immediately what come to mind are
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan
How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez.

also, it is immigrant experience in Britain instead of U.S., but i enjoyed Brick Lane by Monica Ali.

these are off the top of my head favorites. i fell sure i'll think of more and post later.

[BaBaBa]

Oh yes, Amy Tan!

I haven't read her in years!

And literature is amazing! I just can't understand people that don't read.

Politicians should have to tell us what they've read before we vote for them.

[panamama]

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs Of A Boy Soldier -- Ishmael Beah
Dreaming in Cuban -- Cristina Garcia
One Drop: My Father's Story of Race and Family Secrets -- Bliss Broyard
The Rice Mother -- Rani Manika
When She Was White: The True Story Of A Family Divided By Race -- Judith Stone


this is a memoir trilogy:
1. When I Was Puerto Rican
2. Almost A Woman
3. The Turkish Lover
(all by Esmeralda Santiago)

[Murihiku]

Originally Posted by BaBaBa

Politicians should have to tell us what they've read before we vote for them.

Hear, hear! Remember Mike Harris and Mr. Silly?

I am an immigrant, twice-over actually, but the only book I can think of right now is The Secret Garden. Oh no, wait, Life of Pi.

[Amaranth]

A Map of Home, by Randa Jarrar (fiction, but based on the author's experiences)

Stealing Buddha's Dinner, by Bich Minh Nguyen (especially good if you like reading about food)

Greetings from Bury Park, by Sarfraz Manzoor (especially good if you like Bruce Springsteen)

and not exactly an immigrant, but definitely a cultural outsider: All the Fishes Come Home to Roost, by Rachel Manija Brown

[Murihiku]

Oh, I forgot White Teeth by Zadie Smith. That's pretty amazing.

[BaBaBa]

Originally Posted by Murihiku

Hear, hear! Remember Mike Harris and Mr. Silly?


Ummm...no. But he's from your neck of the woods isn't he? I'll have to google that. Sounds.... intriguing.



I am an immigrant, twice-over actually, but the only book I can think of right now is The Secret Garden. Oh no, wait, Life of Pi.

I keep hearing great things about The Life of Pi I really need to pick up a copy.

Originally Posted by Murihiku

Oh, I forgot White Teeth by Zadie Smith. That's pretty amazing.

Oh oh oh! Zadie Smith is on my list of must read authors! I read a short story of hers last year about a hot dog vendor (I don't recall the title) which I really enjoyed and in a recent issue of the New Yorker she has a memoir. I have a collection of short stories all on the theme of 'characters' on the shelf which she edited but I haven't read it yet.