Famous books about immigration
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14 Inspiring Immigrant Stories
1
Owner of a Lonely Heart, by Beth Nguyen
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In this achingly beautiful look at her relationship with her mother, Nguyen unpacks the toll of the Vietnam War, when, due to the chaos, her family was split apart. She, her father, and her sister eventually land in Grand Rapids, and her mother, in Boston, Nguyen only rediscovering her whereabouts at age 10. Just how the legacy of their loss divides them is told with wrenching emotion and exquisite, controlled prose. A soon-to-be classic with implications about immigration in any era.
2
American Ending, by Mary Kay Zuravleff
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It’s small acts of in
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Best 64 Books About Immigrants and Immigration for All Ages
Photo by Element5 Digital from Pexels
Books can transform, transport and inspire. Whether you’re a teacher trying to expand your classroom library, a parent looking to introduce their child to diverse perspectives or an adult who just wants a rich, interesting novel to read, you are bound to find something on this list that’s for you.
We’ve curated this list of books that are good reads and represent many facets of the immigrant experience, with an emphasis on books by authors who are immigrants themselves. We’ve also divided our selections by age groups,into picture books, elementary and middle grade books, young adult books and books for adults.
If you’re more interested in finding a TV show, film or documentary, check out our collection of recommendations here. We hope you find something transformational, transporting or inspirational below!
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In 1942, YIVO held a contest for the best autobiography by a Jewish immigrant on the theme “Why I Left the Old Country and What I Have Accomplished in America.” Chosen from over two hundred entries, and translated from Yiddish, the nine life stories in My Future Is in America provide a compelling portrait of American Jewish life in the immigrant generation at the turn of the twentieth century.
The writers arrived in America in every decade from the 1890s to the 1920s. They include manual workers, shopkeepers, housewives, communal activists, and professionals who came from all parts of Eastern Europe and ushered in a new era in American Jewish history. In their own words, the immigrant writers convey the complexities of the transition between the Old and New Worlds.
An Introduction places the writings in historical and literary context, and annotations explain historical and cultural allusions made by the writers. This unique volume introduces readers to the complex world of Yiddish-speaking immigrants while at the same time elucidating important themes and topics of intere
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