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The Good Immigrant USA
An urgent collection of essays by first and second-generation immigrants, exploring what it's like to be othered in an increasingly divided America.
From Trump's proposed border wall and travel ban to the marching of White Supremacists in Charlottesville, America is consumed by tensions over immigration and the question of which bodies are welcome. In this much-anticipated follow-up to the bestselling UK edition, hailed by Zadie Smith as "lively and vital," editors Nikesh Shukla and Chimene Suleyman hand the microphone to an incredible range of writers whose humanity and right to be here is under attack.
Chigozie Obioma unpacks an Igbo proverb that helped him navigate his journey to America from Nigeria. Jenny Zhang analyzes cultural appropriation in 90s fashion, recalling her own pain and confusion as a teenager trying to fit in. Fatimah Asghar describes the flood of memory and emotion triggered by an encounter with an Uber driver from Kashmir. Alexander Chee writes of a visit to Korea that changed his relationship to his heritage.
These writers, and the many others in this singular collection, share powerful personal stories of living between cultures and languages while struggling to figure out who they are and where they belong. By turns heartbreaking and hilarious, troubling and uplifting, the essays in The Good Immigrant come together to create a provocative, conversation-sparking, multivocal portrait of America now.
From Trump's proposed border wall and travel ban to the marching of White Supremacists in Charlottesville, America is consumed by tensions over immigration and the question of which bodies are welcome. In this much-anticipated follow-up to the bestselling UK edition, hailed by Zadie Smith as "lively and vital," editors Nikesh Shukla and Chimene Suleyman hand the microphone to an incredible range of writers whose humanity and right to be here is under attack.
Chigozie Obioma unpacks an Igbo proverb that helped him navigate his journey to America from Nigeria. Jenny Zhang analyzes cultural appropriation in 90s fashion, recalling her own pain and confusion as a teenager trying to fit in. Fatimah Asghar describes the flood of memory and emotion triggered by an encounter with an Uber driver from Kashmir. Alexander Chee writes of a visit to Korea that changed his relationship to his heritage.
These writers, and the many others in this singular collection, share powerful personal stories of living between cultures and languages while struggling to figure out who they are and where they belong. By turns heartbreaking and hilarious, troubling and uplifting, the essays in The Good Immigrant come together to create a provocative, conversation-sparking, multivocal portrait of America now.
336 pages, Paperback
First published February 19, 2019
344 people are currently reading
8153 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 309 reviews
November 5, 2023
An excellent and timely essay collection. Of course it's timely, it was put together as a way of providing another point in the midst of current events regarding immigration. This book is not trying to be a commentary on US immigration policy. It's purpose is to provide a view into the immigrant experience in America. Some of the stories are about the impact of the culture on the upbringing of the daughters and sons of immigrants. What is life in America like for families from other countries/cultures?
There was an attempt to get a good cross section around the globe to describe the experience. The quality of writing here is excellent. All of the contributors are writers and/or journalists and it shows. In fact I was introduced to several writers whose books I want to read in the future. For example, after reading the Fatima Farheen Mirza essay "Skittles", I absolutely have to read A Place for Us. There were a few things that kept this from being a 5 Star collection for me. First, while it's clear there was a deliberate attempt to get a wide cross section of countries of origin, there are several stories from the same countries or from countries one would expect to see here. Several tales from Nigeria, India, Pakistan while there was only one story from Mexico, one from South America, one from the Middle East (no I don't think of Turkey as the Middle East), none from Southeast Asia, Europe (not including the UK), none from Eastern block countries. It's immigrant by virtue of appearance as if the only immigrant experiences worth examining are people who are "othered" on sight. There were two stories from the UK by white immigrants whose role was to detail how they were not treated like other immigrants.
Which brings up another point, the concept of the "other". There was a lot of discussion of exclusion, isolation, cultural dissonance and assimilation and differences which in my mind starts to leave the concept of the immigrant experience and gets into the concept of "otherness". The otherness is more about bigotry, racism, religious intolerance and cultural appropriation; not necessarily about the immigrant experiences. It's as if the America in the book = "Christian White America" and no other segments of America needs to understand the immigrant perspective. The "otherness" in this book felt very familiar. The immigrant experiences started intertwining and melding. The implied effect is that America standardizes its treatment of "others" no matter the kind of "other". Also, very few of the essays discussed why these families came to America. This is to say that the editors seemed to veer a little from the subject. Distracted by the powerful and excellent writing, they encountered scope creep. There are plenty of Americans who are distant from their "immigrant roots", who have similar feelings of exclusion loss, isolation and injustice that immigrants do, that think immigrants are the responsible for their own diminished prospects. These folks need to be included in the conversation. And certainly there are "Christian White" immigrants with similar feelings of longing and loss and loneliness and assimilation associated with coming to America. Where were those stories?
Summary:
Overall an intelligent and impressive collection of essays. An interesting and important entry into the cultural perception that greets immigrants, particularly immigrants that are also people of color in America. My favorites were "Sidra", Luck of the Irish, Shithole Nation, Blonde Girls in Cheongsams, Tour Diary, and Skittles. I think that cutting a few of the essays would not have diminished the quality of the book. There was some repetition. Yet, I also think that the collection could have benefited from some additional voices from other parts of the globe. A worthwhile book with a lot of contributing authors you will be wanting to read more!!
Solid 4 Stars
Read on kindle
There was an attempt to get a good cross section around the globe to describe the experience. The quality of writing here is excellent. All of the contributors are writers and/or journalists and it shows. In fact I was introduced to several writers whose books I want to read in the future. For example, after reading the Fatima Farheen Mirza essay "Skittles", I absolutely have to read A Place for Us. There were a few things that kept this from being a 5 Star collection for me. First, while it's clear there was a deliberate attempt to get a wide cross section of countries of origin, there are several stories from the same countries or from countries one would expect to see here. Several tales from Nigeria, India, Pakistan while there was only one story from Mexico, one from South America, one from the Middle East (no I don't think of Turkey as the Middle East), none from Southeast Asia, Europe (not including the UK), none from Eastern block countries. It's immigrant by virtue of appearance as if the only immigrant experiences worth examining are people who are "othered" on sight. There were two stories from the UK by white immigrants whose role was to detail how they were not treated like other immigrants.
Which brings up another point, the concept of the "other". There was a lot of discussion of exclusion, isolation, cultural dissonance and assimilation and differences which in my mind starts to leave the concept of the immigrant experience and gets into the concept of "otherness". The otherness is more about bigotry, racism, religious intolerance and cultural appropriation; not necessarily about the immigrant experiences. It's as if the America in the book = "Christian White America" and no other segments of America needs to understand the immigrant perspective. The "otherness" in this book felt very familiar. The immigrant experiences started intertwining and melding. The implied effect is that America standardizes its treatment of "others" no matter the kind of "other". Also, very few of the essays discussed why these families came to America. This is to say that the editors seemed to veer a little from the subject. Distracted by the powerful and excellent writing, they encountered scope creep. There are plenty of Americans who are distant from their "immigrant roots", who have similar feelings of exclusion loss, isolation and injustice that immigrants do, that think immigrants are the responsible for their own diminished prospects. These folks need to be included in the conversation. And certainly there are "Christian White" immigrants with similar feelings of longing and loss and loneliness and assimilation associated with coming to America. Where were those stories?
Summary:
Overall an intelligent and impressive collection of essays. An interesting and important entry into the cultural perception that greets immigrants, particularly immigrants that are also people of color in America. My favorites were "Sidra", Luck of the Irish, Shithole Nation, Blonde Girls in Cheongsams, Tour Diary, and Skittles. I think that cutting a few of the essays would not have diminished the quality of the book. There was some repetition. Yet, I also think that the collection could have benefited from some additional voices from other parts of the globe. A worthwhile book with a lot of contributing authors you will be wanting to read more!!
Solid 4 Stars
Read on kindle
March 3, 2019
Look at me, reading nonfiction. Being all smart and educated and shit.
Anyway, I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed a LOT of these stories, or should I call them essays now that I'm a fancy-schmancy adult reader? A lot of the chapters were 5/5 powerful, stirring, insightful, beautifully written and thought-provoking reads. I've even found a few authors that I know I definitely want to read more from now. However, not all of the entries were ones that I enjoyed. A few read more like a textbook history lesson, some were hate-filled and racist and there was one that I found overwritten. Still, if you are interested in seeing life from the perspective of others, I highly recommend this book to you.
Overall rating is 3.84 out of 5 (rounded up to 4 stars) based off of my individual enjoyment of each chapter, which is as follows:
How to Write Iranian-America or The Last Essay by Porochista Khakpour - 5/5*
Swimmer by Nicole Dennis-Benn - 5/5*
Sidra (in 12 Movements) by Rahawa Haile - 5/5
On the Blackness of the Panther by Teju Cole - 3/5
How Not to Be by Priya Minhas - 4/5
After Migration: The Once and Future Kings by Wale Oyejide - 3/5
On Loneliness by Fatimah Asghar - 5/5
Chooey-Booey and Brown by Tejal Rao - 4/5
Luck of the Irish by Maeve Higgins - 5/5
Her Name was India by Krutika Mallikarjuna - 4/5
Shithole Nation by Jim St Germain - 5/5*
Blond Girls in Cheongsams by Jenny Zhang - 5/5*
The Naked Man by Chigozie Obioma - 4/5
Your Father's Country by Alexander Chee - 4/5
The Long Answer by Yann Mounir Demange - 4/5
An American, Told by Jean Hannah Edelstein - 5/5
On Being Kim Kardashian by Chimeme Suleyman - 4/5
Tour Diary by Basim Usmani - 1/5
Dispatches from the Languages by Daniel Jose Older - 4/5
Juana Azurduy Versus Christopher Columbus by Adrian & Sebastian Vikar Rojas - 2/5
No Es Suficiente by Dani Fernandez - 5/5
Skittles by Fatima Farheen Mirza - 5/5*
Return to Macondo by Susanne Ramirez de Arellano - 3/5
244 Million by Mona Chalabi - 3/5
How to Center Your Own Story by Jade Chang - 4/5
*denotes favorites
Anyway, I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed a LOT of these stories, or should I call them essays now that I'm a fancy-schmancy adult reader? A lot of the chapters were 5/5 powerful, stirring, insightful, beautifully written and thought-provoking reads. I've even found a few authors that I know I definitely want to read more from now. However, not all of the entries were ones that I enjoyed. A few read more like a textbook history lesson, some were hate-filled and racist and there was one that I found overwritten. Still, if you are interested in seeing life from the perspective of others, I highly recommend this book to you.
Overall rating is 3.84 out of 5 (rounded up to 4 stars) based off of my individual enjoyment of each chapter, which is as follows:
How to Write Iranian-America or The Last Essay by Porochista Khakpour - 5/5*
Swimmer by Nicole Dennis-Benn - 5/5*
Sidra (in 12 Movements) by Rahawa Haile - 5/5
On the Blackness of the Panther by Teju Cole - 3/5
How Not to Be by Priya Minhas - 4/5
After Migration: The Once and Future Kings by Wale Oyejide - 3/5
On Loneliness by Fatimah Asghar - 5/5
Chooey-Booey and Brown by Tejal Rao - 4/5
Luck of the Irish by Maeve Higgins - 5/5
Her Name was India by Krutika Mallikarjuna - 4/5
Shithole Nation by Jim St Germain - 5/5*
Blond Girls in Cheongsams by Jenny Zhang - 5/5*
The Naked Man by Chigozie Obioma - 4/5
Your Father's Country by Alexander Chee - 4/5
The Long Answer by Yann Mounir Demange - 4/5
An American, Told by Jean Hannah Edelstein - 5/5
On Being Kim Kardashian by Chimeme Suleyman - 4/5
Tour Diary by Basim Usmani - 1/5
Dispatches from the Languages by Daniel Jose Older - 4/5
Juana Azurduy Versus Christopher Columbus by Adrian & Sebastian Vikar Rojas - 2/5
No Es Suficiente by Dani Fernandez - 5/5
Skittles by Fatima Farheen Mirza - 5/5*
Return to Macondo by Susanne Ramirez de Arellano - 3/5
244 Million by Mona Chalabi - 3/5
How to Center Your Own Story by Jade Chang - 4/5
*denotes favorites
March 20, 2019
You know that feeling when you finish a book and you want to give the book a really big hug? That’s how I felt about The Good Immigrant USA except I wanted to hug all 27 contributors/editors. I was able to read familiar names: Fatimah Asghar, Alexander Chee, Jenny Zhang, Nicole Dennis-Benn, Chigozie Obioma, while also discovering new names: Priya Minhas, Jim St. Germain, Daniel José Older, Jade Chang, and so many more.
26 writers reflect on America, grounded in their personal and family experiences of immigration, written in their own unique styles. One of the most beautiful things a book can do is to give a language to things you’ve felt and experienced but did not have the right words for - this collection did just that. Reading this also challenged my ideas about the boundaries of who the “immigrant” is, showing what a multitude of experiences “the good immigrant” really is.
Writers tie in their personal stories without shying away from reckoning with colonization, imperialism, war, capitalism. It’s a collection about America but I learned a ton about countries all around the world. Immigration after all links all these histories and places together.
In the last essay of the collection by Jade Chang (author of The Wangs v. The World), titled “How to Center Your Own Story,” Chang writes about how there’s this common refrain of gatekeepers, who say, “I liked it; I’m just not sure that other people will get it.” They suggest that there’s a universal story and that talking about race and culture requires explanation.
Chang pushes back against this, writing, “Really, though, the more specific a moment is, the more it becomes relatable to a wide range of people.” I think Chang’s “let the specific become the universal” sums up this book’s power so well. It’s beautifully unapologetic, specific, and filled with different emotions and histories. And yet there is something deeply universal about searching for a better life for yourself and for your loved ones. Moving across borders to do so is brave, beautiful, and simply human.
26 writers reflect on America, grounded in their personal and family experiences of immigration, written in their own unique styles. One of the most beautiful things a book can do is to give a language to things you’ve felt and experienced but did not have the right words for - this collection did just that. Reading this also challenged my ideas about the boundaries of who the “immigrant” is, showing what a multitude of experiences “the good immigrant” really is.
Writers tie in their personal stories without shying away from reckoning with colonization, imperialism, war, capitalism. It’s a collection about America but I learned a ton about countries all around the world. Immigration after all links all these histories and places together.
In the last essay of the collection by Jade Chang (author of The Wangs v. The World), titled “How to Center Your Own Story,” Chang writes about how there’s this common refrain of gatekeepers, who say, “I liked it; I’m just not sure that other people will get it.” They suggest that there’s a universal story and that talking about race and culture requires explanation.
Chang pushes back against this, writing, “Really, though, the more specific a moment is, the more it becomes relatable to a wide range of people.” I think Chang’s “let the specific become the universal” sums up this book’s power so well. It’s beautifully unapologetic, specific, and filled with different emotions and histories. And yet there is something deeply universal about searching for a better life for yourself and for your loved ones. Moving across borders to do so is brave, beautiful, and simply human.
February 13, 2019
In the time of Donald Trump’s xenophobia and immigration-related policies, 26 Immigrant writers, artists and scholars come together in one amazing collection of essays to give us a snapshot in time of what life is like for someone who is not white and from the America. Well-known contributors that I was excited to read more on are Khakpour, Alexander Chee, Daniel José Elder, Teju Cole, and Nicole Dennis-Benn. All these stories being told are all worth learning from. I highly recommend this collection.
April 21, 2020
I read this for the OWLs readathon and I'm glad to have got to it as I loved the original Good Immigrant collection which I read a while ago, and this I picked up instantly when I saw it was out.
This is a book with stories of immigrants' experiences living in the USA as an immigrant or second/third generation immigrant. Their stories are personal, raw and emotional.
I do think this is a collection that would have more impact on a US citizen, because of the references the reader could relate to, but the topic and feelings are universal and I think everyone can understand some of the wrongness of these experiences.
Each contributor brought something new and each story had its own message, tone and flair, and every one is worth reading.
Overall, another very strong collection and I'd recommend it. 4*s.
This is a book with stories of immigrants' experiences living in the USA as an immigrant or second/third generation immigrant. Their stories are personal, raw and emotional.
I do think this is a collection that would have more impact on a US citizen, because of the references the reader could relate to, but the topic and feelings are universal and I think everyone can understand some of the wrongness of these experiences.
Each contributor brought something new and each story had its own message, tone and flair, and every one is worth reading.
Overall, another very strong collection and I'd recommend it. 4*s.
September 27, 2019
I read one of these essays daily, and as with all anthologies, there are some I liked better than others, but there was at least a nugget I took away from each.
Immigrants come here for all kinds of reasons, and immigrants are not just people of color. I read somewhere once that there are biological/evolutionary reasons to fear/hate the other - just look at what happened to most native peoples when others showed up as an example - but we are living in a moment of intense "othering" that should concern us all. This collection, while not perfect, is a great place to start if we are seeking to engage in dialog and not demonization.
For a wonderful and insightful review, I recommend checking out Monica's thoughts here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My faves: How Not To Be, Blonde Girls in Cheongsams, The Long Answer, Skittles, and Luck of the Irish.
Immigrants come here for all kinds of reasons, and immigrants are not just people of color. I read somewhere once that there are biological/evolutionary reasons to fear/hate the other - just look at what happened to most native peoples when others showed up as an example - but we are living in a moment of intense "othering" that should concern us all. This collection, while not perfect, is a great place to start if we are seeking to engage in dialog and not demonization.
For a wonderful and insightful review, I recommend checking out Monica's thoughts here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My faves: How Not To Be, Blonde Girls in Cheongsams, The Long Answer, Skittles, and Luck of the Irish.
January 2, 2020
I really struggle with what I think about this book. Some of the essays were incredibly grating. Others, I have thought about on multiple occasions since. Perhaps the unsettling feeling I am left with is a win for the authors: the point after all, is to make us be introspective of the current state of affairs in the United States regarding treatment of immigrants. Great writers articulating complicated topics in their own words is a good idea after all.
However, string 20+ essays together about mistreatment, and it quickly gets tiring. I found myself thinking, fair or unfair, great...another 20 minutes of hearing someone persuade me they are the victim of injustice. Probably more times than not it is the truth, they are victims. But the incentives to exaggerate/emphasize this point is strong for all 26 authors. It is also unfortunate that (nearly?) all of the authors' profession is in fine arts. (Writer, artist, musician). Having some Science/Math/Business/etc. perspective would have been nice. Not all immigrants who with something to share are artists and writers.
Immigration/Racial inclusion is hard. A seemingly benign statement made by a passerby about race would be welcomed by one author and treated with vitriol by the next. I guess my overall takeaway, was a strong reminder to be kind, to be open-minded, but also not to have the goal of making everyone happy 100% of the time. Saying the "right" thing to one individual will be the exact thing that sets the next off. Be kind, be understanding, never be mean spirited, be willing to iterate based on feedback, but even if you are 100% kind, offenses will be taken by some.
Some of my favorites in no particular order:
Skittles
How to Write Iranian-America
On Being Kim Kardashian
S***hole Nation
Chooey-Booey and Brown
On the blackness of the Panther
How Not to Be
The Long Answer
Tour Diary
However, string 20+ essays together about mistreatment, and it quickly gets tiring. I found myself thinking, fair or unfair, great...another 20 minutes of hearing someone persuade me they are the victim of injustice. Probably more times than not it is the truth, they are victims. But the incentives to exaggerate/emphasize this point is strong for all 26 authors. It is also unfortunate that (nearly?) all of the authors' profession is in fine arts. (Writer, artist, musician). Having some Science/Math/Business/etc. perspective would have been nice. Not all immigrants who with something to share are artists and writers.
Immigration/Racial inclusion is hard. A seemingly benign statement made by a passerby about race would be welcomed by one author and treated with vitriol by the next. I guess my overall takeaway, was a strong reminder to be kind, to be open-minded, but also not to have the goal of making everyone happy 100% of the time. Saying the "right" thing to one individual will be the exact thing that sets the next off. Be kind, be understanding, never be mean spirited, be willing to iterate based on feedback, but even if you are 100% kind, offenses will be taken by some.
Some of my favorites in no particular order:
Skittles
How to Write Iranian-America
On Being Kim Kardashian
S***hole Nation
Chooey-Booey and Brown
On the blackness of the Panther
How Not to Be
The Long Answer
Tour Diary
April 9, 2019
If there is a list of "Books Every White American Should Read," this should be on it. There is a lot of nuance that's absent from the mainstream immigration conversation, and an anthology like this highlights that, in these essays on wide-ranging immigrant experiences. It should be common sense that a Mexican immigrant doesn't face the same challenges or treatment as, say, an Indian immigrant, and that comes through very clearly in these writers' stories. I also appreciate many of these essays speaking to the first-gen experience, as that is also a very specific group of people that deals with very specific identity challenges and isolation.
Many writers I love are in this book, and it's honestly a little heartwarming reading not only their stories of struggle, but their stories of success as creatives, despite the deck being stacked against them.
Many writers I love are in this book, and it's honestly a little heartwarming reading not only their stories of struggle, but their stories of success as creatives, despite the deck being stacked against them.
March 3, 2019
Finally, an American immigrant book I can relate to.
April 29, 2019
this felt even more powerful and poignant than the original british anthology, in part because of its driven politics (i believe the UK anthology was published post-Brexit but pre-Trump), in part because of the diversity of its writers in ethnicity, style, experience and occupation, which made every piece feel even more focused. it's very hard to pick a favourite (or even multiple favourites) because everything pretty much blew me away. it's also serves as a good introduction to authors of color that i was unfamiliar with before – i forsee lots of additions to my to-read list!
April 9, 2019
This timely collection of essays gives a fresh and much needed perspective of what being a first or second generation immigrant in America entails.
Some shared stories from their childhood, others gave a quick history lesson on the colonization of their country of origin and others spoke of life with Trump in office. All of them were impactful.
I recognized a few of the authors names but I also found a whole handful of new authors, comedians and journalists whose work I want to check out.
One thing this book has motivated me to do is to get a big map and learn all the countries of the world. I’m done with the mindset that America is all that matters.
June 25, 2020
Incredibly rich and informative series of essays that also offer you fresh insights to consider and visualize. I learned a lot and loved this collection.
It is a groundbreaking nonfiction series by 26 authors that speak about their perceptions and what it meant for them to have resided in the United States, not to be a native citizen. Each essay by the authors was superb, distressing, and informative. I've learned a lot from this collection and I encourage native American born readers to pick this book up.
It is a groundbreaking nonfiction series by 26 authors that speak about their perceptions and what it meant for them to have resided in the United States, not to be a native citizen. Each essay by the authors was superb, distressing, and informative. I've learned a lot from this collection and I encourage native American born readers to pick this book up.
June 13, 2019
Mostly dry and repetitive ideas mixing relatively few insights, with a lot of whining and lack of depth. Quite typical of the new American grievance culture.
April 12, 2020
I always appreciate anthologies, as they provides the opportunity to read works from writers I’m yet to discover. Most importantly from The Good Immigrant USA I’ve been able to read stories from perspectives/voices I haven’t typically read.
I had high expectations from reading The Good Immigrant (the UK version), however the reason the US version gets a 4 rather than a 5 is because there were probably one or two stories which I just struggled to read. As a result I put the book down and had to start over. Should this happen to you, my advise is just skip ahead to the next story/essay.
The authors stories/essays in the collection which really stood out and I really found myself pondering over were Skittles by Fatima Farheen Mirza and Tour Dairy by Basim Usmani. Their experiences I felt I was yet hear or have read anywhere before and their experiences really saddens me.
I had high expectations from reading The Good Immigrant (the UK version), however the reason the US version gets a 4 rather than a 5 is because there were probably one or two stories which I just struggled to read. As a result I put the book down and had to start over. Should this happen to you, my advise is just skip ahead to the next story/essay.
The authors stories/essays in the collection which really stood out and I really found myself pondering over were Skittles by Fatima Farheen Mirza and Tour Dairy by Basim Usmani. Their experiences I felt I was yet hear or have read anywhere before and their experiences really saddens me.
June 8, 2019
Two years ago I read #thegoodimmigrant, an incredible collection of essays from the UK that was my favourite book of that year. This book, published in March 2019 is a new collection by the same creators featuring 26 writers (including some v familiar/famous names on the list) reflecting on America.
The collection is not my favourite book of the year but features some truly stunning essays (essays by Fatimah Asghar, Jade Chang, Fatima Farheen Mirza, Porochista Khakpour, Wale Oyejide, Chigozie Obioma and others were particular standout essays for me) but in general because this book is also about America’s footprint in the world, there were also essays with a lot of background, historical information or that talked about Trump more deeply that I found less engaging than the more personal narratives. (In some ways the UK collection more personal, more familiar). Overall though this is an outstanding collection and I recommend. If not every essay resonates, the ones that speak to you warrant reading this book in its entirety.
The collection is not my favourite book of the year but features some truly stunning essays (essays by Fatimah Asghar, Jade Chang, Fatima Farheen Mirza, Porochista Khakpour, Wale Oyejide, Chigozie Obioma and others were particular standout essays for me) but in general because this book is also about America’s footprint in the world, there were also essays with a lot of background, historical information or that talked about Trump more deeply that I found less engaging than the more personal narratives. (In some ways the UK collection more personal, more familiar). Overall though this is an outstanding collection and I recommend. If not every essay resonates, the ones that speak to you warrant reading this book in its entirety.
August 6, 2020
Some of the essays were superb, and as a white middle class female, made me question my own actions, beliefs and biases whether intentional or not. These essays I would have given a 5 to. Some of the other essays however, really missed the mark for me. They came across as hateful of all white people, America, Britain etc. The tone of these essays seemed more like attacks with passive aggressive insults as opposed to heartfelt memoirs. Some of these authors missed a chance to open the minds of racial bias, and rather confirmed these biases. Factoring all essays, I would give this a 3.
May 27, 2019
Superb collection of essays by writers who are immigrants to USA (or children of). Different backgrounds & diverse styles - from personal to historical & sometimes funny. But some common threads: all bright, creative people with much to offer but have been seen as outsiders. All tackle this ‘othering’ & their parents’ home culture - so question their own identity. A poignant sense of trying to belong. It’s a bracing read. Highly recommended.
June 1, 2019
These 26 essays are by mostly young writers. They are often influenced by the experiences they have at school with teachers and of course peers who judge them harshly for being different. These deeply personal stories are by unknown and some known writers: Alexander Chee and Teju Cole. One surprise was by an Irish immigrant who was living in the country illegally. Some excellent writing will encourage readers to find more work by these authors.
June 24, 2019
I was very disappointed in this book. It seemed to be a contest as to who could be more erudite than the next and devoid of the true emotion that one would expect from a collection of works by modern immigrants.
March 30, 2019
thoughts coming shortly
March 24, 2022
3.5 stars! My favorite essays were by Fatima Farheen Mirza "Skittles," and "How to Center Your Own Story" by Jade Chang
May 10, 2022
i’m not the biggest fan of short story collections- some of these were really great and some were just mediocre- would give it a 3.5 ⭐️ if i could
July 20, 2022
A good read with some essays that fell short for me. My favourite by far was ‘On the Blackness of the Panther’ by Teju Cole.
December 5, 2022
enjoyed some of these but not my favorite as a collection
December 27, 2020
With any collection of this type, your enjoyment of and engagement with the various pieces will naturally vary. But this is one of the best I've read as far as being consistently positive for both of those factors.
I really...maybe enjoyed isn't quite the right word, perhaps I'll say appreciated...nearly every essay in here. Many of them were beautifully written, thought-provoking, bold, and stentorian (if such a word can apply to something written down, which...sure, why not, it's 2020, rules don't matter anymore). There is a variety of immigrant experiences represented, people of different backgrounds, identities, status, etc. Some were more lyrically written, others much more straightforward, but I found something valuable and interesting in nearly all of them. Honestly, there were maybe only two or three that didn't work for me, and those certainly weren't bad in any sense, just not as engaging or accessible.
I think this is a crucial work for those of us who are not immigrants ourselves or children of immigrants to read, most especially those of us who are of white Western descent. Being Jewish, my family history of course includes persecution (to put it mildly) and the whole "Oops, sorry, we're all full here in the States, can't come in" bullshit. And while as a group we haven't typically experienced the same kind of targeted violence and ostracizing from the government here (I say typically because..............Trump, Charlottesville, need I say more, I think not), we have been on the terrifying receiving end of virulent hatred and physical attacks, certainly during the last four years but just as certainly for decades before. So while I'm not an immigrant, and neither were either of my parents or any of my grandparents, I can to a certain extent sympathize with some of the experiences represented here, and can deeply empathize with others.
My favorite essays:
How to Write Iranian-America, or The Last Essay by Porochista Khakpour
On the Blackness of the Panther by Teju Cole
How Not to Be by Priya Minhas
Dispatches From the Language Wars by Daniel José Older
Skittles by Fatima Farheen Mirza
How to Center Your Own Story by Jade Chang
I really...maybe enjoyed isn't quite the right word, perhaps I'll say appreciated...nearly every essay in here. Many of them were beautifully written, thought-provoking, bold, and stentorian (if such a word can apply to something written down, which...sure, why not, it's 2020, rules don't matter anymore). There is a variety of immigrant experiences represented, people of different backgrounds, identities, status, etc. Some were more lyrically written, others much more straightforward, but I found something valuable and interesting in nearly all of them. Honestly, there were maybe only two or three that didn't work for me, and those certainly weren't bad in any sense, just not as engaging or accessible.
I think this is a crucial work for those of us who are not immigrants ourselves or children of immigrants to read, most especially those of us who are of white Western descent. Being Jewish, my family history of course includes persecution (to put it mildly) and the whole "Oops, sorry, we're all full here in the States, can't come in" bullshit. And while as a group we haven't typically experienced the same kind of targeted violence and ostracizing from the government here (I say typically because..............Trump, Charlottesville, need I say more, I think not), we have been on the terrifying receiving end of virulent hatred and physical attacks, certainly during the last four years but just as certainly for decades before. So while I'm not an immigrant, and neither were either of my parents or any of my grandparents, I can to a certain extent sympathize with some of the experiences represented here, and can deeply empathize with others.
My favorite essays:
How to Write Iranian-America, or The Last Essay by Porochista Khakpour
On the Blackness of the Panther by Teju Cole
How Not to Be by Priya Minhas
Dispatches From the Language Wars by Daniel José Older
Skittles by Fatima Farheen Mirza
How to Center Your Own Story by Jade Chang
September 12, 2019
In this book, immigrant writers tell about their experiences with the United States. All of the essays seem to have been written since Trump was elected. As the title indicates, these are "model" immigrants, intellectuals (and a punk band member). Some of them are the children of immigrants rather than immigrants themselves. The writers and their families come mostly from Africa and Asia. One immigrant from Ireland tells how different her experience was because she was white.
There are stories about problems getting into the country and experiences of racism once inside it. Immigrant parents have tried to instill in their children a desire to go along to get along, and not to emphasize their backgrounds. Fatima Farheen Mirza, whose novel A Place for Us I read and reviewed earlier this year, tells how her father begged her to write about a white family, not her own, because he feared no one would read a book about Asian Americans. After Donald Trump Jr. said that immigrants were like a handful of Skittles, only three of which are poisoned and will kill you, neighbors sent their child to Mirza's home and handed her mother a bag of Skittles.
But the stories of racism extend back far beyond the current administration. Some writers talk about the colonial past and about how museums in Europe and the United States put Indigenous People on exhibit. I learned that Argentina deliberately set about attracting as many European settlers as possible and killing Indigenous people.
Some of the writers are annoyed at the presumption that everyone wants to be "American." Some have mixed identifies and feel they don't fit in anywhere. Some Africans feel they have to learn to be "American Black" to live in the United States.
This is a worthwhile and timely book.
There are stories about problems getting into the country and experiences of racism once inside it. Immigrant parents have tried to instill in their children a desire to go along to get along, and not to emphasize their backgrounds. Fatima Farheen Mirza, whose novel A Place for Us I read and reviewed earlier this year, tells how her father begged her to write about a white family, not her own, because he feared no one would read a book about Asian Americans. After Donald Trump Jr. said that immigrants were like a handful of Skittles, only three of which are poisoned and will kill you, neighbors sent their child to Mirza's home and handed her mother a bag of Skittles.
But the stories of racism extend back far beyond the current administration. Some writers talk about the colonial past and about how museums in Europe and the United States put Indigenous People on exhibit. I learned that Argentina deliberately set about attracting as many European settlers as possible and killing Indigenous people.
Some of the writers are annoyed at the presumption that everyone wants to be "American." Some have mixed identifies and feel they don't fit in anywhere. Some Africans feel they have to learn to be "American Black" to live in the United States.
This is a worthwhile and timely book.
August 2, 2020
This is a really varied and diverse collection of essays on what it is to be an immigrant in the United States. There is such a variety of experiences and backgrounds, which is essential to understanding what immigration actually is, and not pigeonholing immigrants as a certain type of person. I really valued reading about each author's experiences, and it was interesting to come across some through-lines, like the influence of the Black Panther movie.
There were many authors included whose work I know and love, and many new voices—I really appreciated the balance where I could go from familiar voice to something completely new. My favorite essays were the ones that explored personal history and acted more as literary memoir than direct argument towards one idea or the other. The following essays were my favorites:
How To Write Iranian-America, or The Last Essay by Porochista Khakpour
Sides (in 12 Movements) by Rahawa Haile
On Loneliness by Fatima Asghar
“Chooey-Booey and Brown” by Tejal Rao
Her Name was India by Krutika Mallikarjuna
On Being Kim Kardashian by Chimene Suleyman
Dispatches from the Language Wars by Daniel José Older
Skittles by Fatima Farheen Mirza
I would recommend this collection to anyone looking to better understand American society, and get past the stereotypical and inaccurate depictions of what an immigrant is, as portrayed by certain politicians, news and other media. After all, America was built by immigrants—it's long past time to get over any bias one has against them.
There were many authors included whose work I know and love, and many new voices—I really appreciated the balance where I could go from familiar voice to something completely new. My favorite essays were the ones that explored personal history and acted more as literary memoir than direct argument towards one idea or the other. The following essays were my favorites:
How To Write Iranian-America, or The Last Essay by Porochista Khakpour
Sides (in 12 Movements) by Rahawa Haile
On Loneliness by Fatima Asghar
“Chooey-Booey and Brown” by Tejal Rao
Her Name was India by Krutika Mallikarjuna
On Being Kim Kardashian by Chimene Suleyman
Dispatches from the Language Wars by Daniel José Older
Skittles by Fatima Farheen Mirza
I would recommend this collection to anyone looking to better understand American society, and get past the stereotypical and inaccurate depictions of what an immigrant is, as portrayed by certain politicians, news and other media. After all, America was built by immigrants—it's long past time to get over any bias one has against them.
March 13, 2021
This collection of essays was genuinely one of the most powerful and impactful books I have read in a long time. I loved the unique voices of each of the authors that contributed and was moved getting to hear stories and experiences that were intimate to them about their treatment in the U.S./U.K. It was disheartening, but not surprising to hear the experiences of first- and second- immigrants in the years following the 2016 election. This book was such a wonderful journey and I would recommend it to everyone!
January 27, 2022
Some very strong and powerful essays on here about different immigrant experiences across the USA. The interactions between the political and the personal are useful in order to understand the impact of one into the other. Altough some of the essays seemed a little repetitive with exclusively denouncing the US as racist without specificity, which even if valid as an experienced, seemed a little repetitive and removed some of the nuanced from the essay. It remains a brilliant read and great exploration of identity.
June 12, 2020
No lo empecé adrede como forma de "educarme" en tiempos de BLM pero ha acabado siendo precisamente eso: didáctico y muy interesante. Hay algunos muy periodísticos, otros de crónica histórica y, mis preferidos, los autobiográficos. Algunos de estos últimos tienen un estilo muy bonito. El relato sobre la familia musulmana es descorazonador.
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