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Literature about immigration (even tangentally)


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Google searches are primarily turning up books related to immigration to the US... and that's part of what I want. But what I really need to put together is a good high-school-course-worthy book list that includes migration to other places too (not just the US), diaspora literature, or any kind of "Stranger in a Strange Land" situation, identity in more than one nationality (or between nationalities), "third culture kids", etc. I'd be happy to throw in authors who were themselves immigrants to somewhere but who wrote about other things... where their travels may have affected their perspective but might not be central to the plot.

 

Any locations and times are good, nonfiction, fiction, science fiction... books, short stories, poems...

 

Bonus points if I can put them on a Kindle. ;)

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Habibi by Nye. The movie Amrika.

Homesick by Jean Fritz

Children of the River

 

 

A study on Abraham (Genesis)

Ted Dekker's Circle Trilogy(a stretch but it might fit what you're looking for). Ender's Game- same thing.

 

Fritz and Dekker were both raised out side of the U.S.

Study on the Cherokee

Bark of the Bog Owl series

Riordian's The Olympians

Indian Captive

Marco Polo- the History of the Mongols.

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Guest cherylfoster

I think you have given a very nice information on topic. I to want to add something that a new language, culture clash, racism, poverty and an overwhelming feeling of roof and homelessness: these are common themes in the stories of Agosin, and Bissondath Lakhous and thousands of other uprooted and displaced peoples.

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I think you have given a very nice information on topic. I to want to add something that a new language, culture clash, racism, poverty and an overwhelming feeling of roof and homelessness: these are common themes in the stories of Agosin, and Bissondath Lakhous and thousands of other uprooted and displaced peoples.

I couldn't find a "Bissondath Lakhous", but googling that got me a Neil Bissoondath and an Amara Lakhous... both on a page about the literature of immigration. (With Marjorie Agosin no less!) Thanks!

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Rolvaag wrote magnificent literature about immigrants from Norway settling in the upper Midwest. He has a trilogy, the first book of which I would recommend at a minimum.

 

Christy talks about the survival of much older British language and customs in isolated areas of Appalachia.

Rolvaag I've found... But what's Christy's first name?

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O Kaplan, My Kaplan - about NYC immigrants taking English lessons in night school in the 20s. Call it grammar study if you must. It is an awesome read aloud.

 

This looks awesome. Adding it to my list :001_smile:.

You might want to check out SL Core 6 I think- where they study the religions of the world. We did it several years ago but if I remember correctly, there might be something of interest there that fits with what you're lookign for.

Byzantium by Lawhead- Irish monk goes to Scandanavia.

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Rolvaag I've found... But what's Christy's first name?

 

Christy is the name of a book by Catherine Marshall. It was also a short-lived TV series.

 

I also agree with Homesick, an easy but well written read.

 

One More River, and sequel Broken Bridge, by Lynne Reid Banks (author of Indian in the Cupboard series). These are about a wealthy Canadian family who decides to immigrate to an Israel kibbutz. It's a novel for teens, but touches on several issues regarding displacement.

 

The American Girl series "Girls of Many Lands" is almost always about a girl who goes from a very poor family culture to a wealthy servant culture. The authors are often native to the land being described and sometimes are well-known authors.

 

The movie Rabbit Proof Fence also comes to mind. And maybe the Gandhi movie, as he changes from very British to a more indigenous lifestyle.

 

One of my favorite books, Hansi by Maria Anne Hirschmann, is about WWII and about Christian faith, but includes her very intimately described emigrations and cultural struggles from Czech to Germany to USA, plus several very different areas within each.

 

In My Father's Court (or A Day of Pleasure, the younger version) by Singer includes a cultural move of sorts, into Warsaw, plus just lots of culture.

 

Adding The Road from Coorain (Australian move from outback to city) and sequel True North (about her emigration to the USA).

 

Not sure I'm spot-on with any of these, but interesting topic,

Julie

Edited by Julie in MN
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Christy is the name of a book by Catherine Marshall. It was also a short-lived TV series.

 

I also agree with Homesick, an easy but well written read.

 

One More River, and sequel Broken Bridge, by Lynne Reid Banks (author of Indian in the Cupboard series). These are about a wealthy Canadian family who decides to immigrate to an Israel kibbutz. It's a novel for teens, but touches on several issues regarding displacement.

 

The American Girl series "Girls of Many Lands" is almost always about a girl who goes from a very poor family culture to a wealthy servant culture. The authors are often native to the land being described and sometimes are well-known authors.

 

The movie Rabbit Proof Fence also comes to mind. And maybe the Gandhi movie, as he changes from very British to a more indigenous lifestyle.

 

One of my favorite books, Hansi by Maria Anne Hirschmann, is about WWII and about Christian faith, but includes her very intimately described emigrations and cultural struggles from Czech to Germany to USA, plus several very different areas within each.

 

In My Father's Court (or A Day of Pleasure, the younger version) by Singer includes a cultural move of sorts, plus just lots of culture.

 

Not sure I'm spot-on with any of these, but interesting topic,

Julie

I was reading that as an author's name :blush: They all sound very interesting! I think I'm going to have a lot of reading to do myself. :) Thanks!

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This looks awesome. Adding it to my list :001_smile:.

You might want to check out SL Core 6 I think- where they study the religions of the world. We did it several years ago but if I remember correctly, there might be something of interest there that fits with what you're lookign for.

Byzantium by Lawhead- Irish monk goes to Scandanavia.

Off to check their lists.... thanks!!

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We are going to read "Interpreter of Maladies" and "No Name Woman" (an essay that is part of the book - "Woman Warrior") by Maxine Hong Kingston. I would also recommend some Junot Diaz, the Oscar Wao novel is particularly good. These are all modern and v. "adult" reads. I thought "The Namesake" was ok. You might also try "Bend it Like Beckham" and "White Teeth" for a British take on the subject. This is a great topic!!!!

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We are going to read "Interpreter of Maladies" and "No Name Woman" (an essay that is part of the book - "Woman Warrior") by Maxine Hong Kingston. I would also recommend some Junot Diaz, the Oscar Wao novel is particularly good. These are all modern and v. "adult" reads. I thought "The Namesake" was ok. You might also try "Bend it Like Beckham" and "White Teeth" for a British take on the subject. This is a great topic!!!!

From my old college books. :) Definitely "adult" but also definitely on topic... I have a feeling a lot of what I'm looking for is already on my shelves, only forgotten... Thanks!!

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Adding a couple that haven't come up yet:

 

Lost in Translation: Life in a new language by Eva Hoffman

 

(Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez by Richard Rodriguez came up on Amazon as often bought with the Hoffman book. dd had to read this for her AP English Language course)

 

Chinese immigrant experience is written about by Amy Tan and Lawrence Yep (young adult).

Allen Say has some awesome picture books on Japanese immigrant experience.

Possibly straying from your subject slightly, but do consider Topaz Moon: Chiura Obata's art of the internment.

 

HTH

~Moira

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PBS's Masterpiece Classic had a dramatization of Small Island by Andrea Levy (worth reading in its own right). It's about Jamaican immigrants to the UK during WWII era.

 

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has also written several books about Nigerians and Nigerian immigrants (I think to the US).

 

Chinua Achebe's collection of essays called "The Education of a British-Protected Child" may also be of interest.

Edited by stripe
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The Circuit, Breaking Through, and Reaching Out by Francisco Jimenez. All available on Kindle.

Francisco Jimenez was the son of parents who were illegal immigrants to CA from Mexico. They are autobiographical and range from his childhood thought high school to college (Reaching Out.) They are very enlightening books, and a quick read.

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The Circuit, Breaking Through, and Reaching Out by Francisco Jimenez. All available on Kindle.

Francisco Jimenez was the son of parents who were illegal immigrants to CA from Mexico. They are autobiographical and range from his childhood thought high school to college (Reaching Out.) They are very enlightening books, and a quick read.

I've gotten behind on this thread! Thank you Laurie, Stripe, Matroyshka, Moira and Laura again!

 

I'm glad I asked this now and not mid-summer.. I have six months to read for myself and see what I want to include. :001_smile:

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Major Pettigrew's Last Stand is sort of about immigration, or at least how immigration affects a small, traditional English community.

 

I found the book a bit tiresome as almost everyone in it (except the two main characters) is a stereotype, and I wasn't sure if it was intentional or not. Greedy Americans, crazy/violent Pakistanis, insular/racist British white people, and so on. Anyway you might find it interesting as it relates to your theme.

 

There are quite a few Asian American authors who've written about the immigrant/child of immigrant experience, besides Amy Tan, such as Leonard Chang, Don Lee, and Chang-Rae Lee. You might find something like this helpful: http://koreanamericanliterature.com/ , and a monsterly large list at

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Asian_American_writers

Edited by stripe
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Don't know if it has been mentioned but I love the book Esperanza Rising, its probably an easy 9th grade read but an incredible thought process book about being a wealthy family in Mexico then coming to the US during the dust bowl and becoming a "stupid" immigrant whose mother worked the fields.

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