Having her family fall victim to the Trump Administration’s “zero tolerance” policy, which criminally prosecuted immigrants that crossed the US border without documentation and separated families as a consequence, Estela Juarez has written a children’s book with the help of Lissette Norman and illustrator Teresa Martin, titled “Until Someone Listens.” The book offers a personal account of Estela’s story of loss and lack of protection under our current immigration system, in the hopes that all who read will listen to the pressing need for immigration reform.
Read moreA Child’s Perspective on Immigration Reform: “Until Someone Listens”
Irish Arts Center Book Day
There’s no better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than with free books! Across New York City, volunteers spent the holiday giving away books by Irish and Irish diaspora authors as part of the 10th Annual Irish Arts Center Book Day. This year the event also featured books by Jewish authors, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the publication of James Joyce’s modernist masterpiece Ulysses, and in tribute to the book’s protagonist, Leopold Bloom. Despite the rainy day, commuters and pedestrians in every borough paused to browse the book tables and talk about literature with the volunteers. By the end of the day, the Irish Arts Center gave out thousands of free books to New Yorkers, “using the power of storytelling to bring people of all backgrounds together.”
Daunt Books Marylebone
With cold weather fast approaching (not to mention the COVID-19 social distancing protocols still in place), it will soon be perfect weather to curl up at home with a good book and cup of tea (or something stronger). But where to purchase something new to read? Daunt Books (in particular, the Marylebone location) is one of our favorite places in London for book shopping. Originally a travel books specialist, this Edwardian store features an incredible three-level back room with oak balconies, viridian-green walls, and a conservatory ceiling, and is a perfect place to find pretty much everything including guide books, maps, history, politics, travelogue, and fiction organized by country. Happy reading!
Our American Dream
Award-winning immigration attorney Fiona McEntee (and friend of the firm) has written a children’s book about immigrants. As an immigrant herself and mother of two young children, Fiona wrote Our American Dream to “help explain the importance of a diverse and welcoming America.” The book, the first in a series, celebrates immigrant stories and is inspired by Fiona’s real-life clients, family, and friends, including a Syrian refugee working in Congress, a ”Dreamer” hoping for a Green Card, and a painter from Russia using her extraordinary talent to achieve the American dream. McEntee explained the book came about after she failed to find a book about immigration that she could read to her daughter’s class. “I looked for a book that reflected what has been going on with the types of immigration issues I was dealing with and that children might be hearing about in the news,” she told the Chicago Tribune. “There are a number of good books about immigrants but usually they are focused on a specific story. I thought there should be a book for kids that concentrated on immigration in positive ways.” I read the book with my own son this week and he said he thoroughly enjoyed it. (Okay, he can’t talk yet but he did make some delighted noises!) A portion of the book’s proceeds will be donated to FWD.us I Stand With Immigrants Initiative, as well as to the American Immigration Council.
My Favorite Travel Book
While summer is prime travel time for most people, not everyone gets to escape. But don’t worry: the next best thing to actually traveling is reading a good travel story. Here we’ve collected our favorite travel books. From fiction to nonfiction, Alaska to the Amalfi Coast, you can go on travel adventures without ever leaving your living room. – Joseph McKeown
Read moreOur Recommended Summer (Immigration-Related) Reads
There are few things in life as pleasurable as a good book. Add to that a lovely park or a beach with soft sand and a cold beer, sangria, or, why not, a margarita beside you—that’s practically perfection. So as the lists of recommended summer reads start coming out, we thought we’d share our immigration-related ones. Happy summer reading!
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