The Good Immigrant

Written By Linda Malek
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The Good Immigrant edited by Nikesh Shukla
Reviewed by Linda
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SO POWERFUL!!! This came so highly recommended that I now recommend this to you all! What is essentially a collection of 21 unapologetic and frank life stories written by figures in Britain's black, Asian and ethnic minority communities in the age of Brexit, turns into a hard-hitting constant reminder of the still ever-prevalent racism, prejudice and social injustice in the UK. Don't get me wrong - The Good Immigrant isn't a platform for criticism or a denunciation of the UK and its people, but a collective of voices who've made the UK their rightful home despite various setbacks faced. This includes the way immigrants are expected to conform to a society that doesn't want them there, are categorised and compartmentalised by the "Other" box which doesn't suit anyone really, and just being the token national statistic in diversity and inclusion forms. Each story is heart warming and relatable in its respective journey of grandparents fleeing hardship, chasing dreams, and creating opportunities and generations on British soil including lots of laughter throughout. Regardless of your background this is an educational read. Pick. It. Up.

Linda Malek

I've always had the urge to set up a forum and voice my thoughts after each read, but never had the confidence to do so alone. 18 months ago, I got my fellow book-loving friends involved and formed The Candid Book Club! Aside from having an exponentially growing to-read pile and deteriorating shortsightedness, we've been lucky to have been invited to publisher events and have attended several talks with our favourite authors (Thank you and long may they continue!) To take a break from the pressures of PhD Chemistry, Jess and I exchanged books all the time and in my youth, I was that kid with the first editions of Harry Potter having already read Gulliver’s travels and some Charles Dickens. At work, my desk is a library and luckily for me I sit next to another bookworm Jack who entertains all the photo-taking. I'm suffering from a chronic case of wanderlust (age-related crisis) so books which are set as far away from home as possible tend to float my boat: Middle East, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Asia...you name it. But if it's got anything to do with Egypt then I'm all over it. So you get the drift...I read all the time, everywhere (on the tube mostly), everyday, a book a week, and very quickly I'm onto the next! And then sometimes there is a book that stops me in my tracks, makes me want to swallow the pages whole, and have it next to me at all times, with some sentences staying with me forever: Shantaram by David Gregory Roberts, anything by Khaled Hosseini, The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo (absolute gem of a woman), A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, The Good Immigrant edited by Nikesh Shuklaand and anything by Naguib Mahfouz.

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