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Paperback Details
  • 04/2015
  • 978-0-9908910-0-0
  • 212 pages
  • $29.95
Erika Berg
Editor (anthology)
Forced to Flee: Visual Stories by Refugee Youth from Burma
Erika Berg, editor (anthology)

Adult; Other Nonfiction; (Market)

Bearing witness to the real-life stories of children forced to flee violent conflict and persecution in their native land, Forced to Flee: Visual Stories by Refugee Youth from Burma illustrates how a single narrative image can tell the story of a thousand words while building bridges of understanding. This poignant, timely and visually-arresting book honors the stories of refugees denied their rights, stories of trauma, resilience, courage, perseverance and irrepressible hope. In Forced to Flee, 196 of the youths’ “visual stories” bridge language and cultural barriers that have shielded the outside world from haunting, humbling and awe-inspiring truths behind Burma’s decades-long civil war. Calling on our conscience and sense of justice, this deeply personal book is a testament to the indomitable spirit of those forced to flee injustice in Burma (also known as Myanmar), and to the transformative power of art.
Reviews
Between 2011 and 2014, Berg traveled to Burmese refugee communities in Thailand, India, Bangladesh, and the United States to create workshops in which children could tell their stories with artwork. Selected images from the more than 1,200 participants are presented in an attractive full-color format, each with commentary both on the artist's life and on the broader situation to which the image refers. Readers can easily digest the included information on Burmese history and current conflicts, as well as the insight into the traumas and challenges facing children in the midst of long-term military conflict. The drawings typically answer prompting questions such as "What do you remember most about your journey to safety?" or "What do you miss most about Burma?" Their power for an American audience derives from the artists' ability to express private struggles and grief with universally understandable images that transcend language and cultural barriers. The book as a whole articulates the human cost of systematic abuses in a profoundly approachable, moving way. Berg finishes the heart-opening, informative collection with images of resilience and hope as well as practical information on self-education and volunteering possibilities for readers inspired to reach out in support of refugees. (BookLife)
Kirkus Reviews

15 June 2015 

KUOW (NPR affiliate)

19 June 2015

The Irrawaddy

20 March 2015 

The Myanmar Times

19 August 2015 

World Policy

14 April 2015

News
Formats
Paperback Details
  • 04/2015
  • 978-0-9908910-0-0
  • 212 pages
  • $29.95
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