Reviews

The Ungrateful Refugee: What Immigrants Never Tell You by Dina Nayeri

lisamariachili's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

4.5

miriamk's review against another edition

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challenging slow-paced

3.0

booksandbobbins's review against another edition

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5.0

This book was written so beautifully. I’ve recently learnt that I love non fiction that feels like fiction, and this book totally fell into that category in the way it’s told. I think that’s also a really interesting thing with how the book explores the way peoples stories are told, and what we believe to be true. 

I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about the refugee experience and how to be more compassionate, not just to refugees but in general. 

Many many stars!

etakloknok's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

ashely_56's review

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

4.25

This book is an expectation dive into the lives, psyche, and experience of immigrants. Both new and old. Dina expresses just how isolating the experience can feel on a personal level. She explores her experience as an immigrant in the US originally from Iran. 

She gives readers the untold side/less focused on side of of immigration.

She question what elements of herself are built from her circumstances and which are innately her.

She has woven her story with a few stories of other immigrants. Including their struggles, achievements, and sorrows.

This book has so many lyrical quotes that it will stick with me for a long time. 

Her focus on social justice and the needs of the immigrants  currently suffering in an age that has put new pressure and discrimination on them. Dina outrage and palpable and contagious. What people have to go through makes me angry and hungry for change.

Reading this helps me gain more knowledge about social issues as well as helps me being more empathetic to immigrants I meet in the future.

isaaabooks's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

3.5

robdawgreads's review against another edition

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5.0

This book introduced me to a new perspective concerning refugee experiences around the world. I highly recommend it. The writing is great and easy to digest. The material can be heart-wrenching but it is so important to hear these stories and share them to promote acceptance of refugees and their truths.

"Unlike economic migrants, refugees have no agency; they are no threat. Often, they are so broken, they beg to be remade into the image of the native. As recipients of magnanimity, they can be pitied. (...) But if you are born in the Third World and you dare to make a move before you are shattered, your dreams are suspicious. You are a carpetbagger, an opportunist, a thief. You are reaching above your station."

emilyschabert's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

saralulu's review against another edition

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5.0

Powerful story, from the view point of a refugee. Well written, reflective and honest from authors experience.

tpatsfan's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0