(8/6/2019)
This is the most beautiful book I've read in years and one I couldn't put down. How often does that happen?
The author is a true storyteller--the kind who you'd want telling your life story because he sees the humanity in his characters in a way that leaves you changed. Or maybe it's just that he finds beauty in the cracks of life where people are the glue that repurpose the broken. From Germany to Switzerland to Italy to the UK, Habila’s exploration of the migrant refugee's diaspora (from several African countries: Nigeria, Libya, Somalia, and Malawi) experience through the lens of a Nigerian-born scholar questions and explores the concept of home in the context of those who cannot return to theirs. Like many Americans, I was ignorant of many of the countries wars--beyond headlines. Travelers will make you cry, smile, and hug those you love--even more. It’s about a Nigerian scholar who gives voice to many migrants and refugees stories that all come together in the end. It's a series of stories of disparate strangers that all become more human. Their suffering and joy become a tapestry.
Travelers is a series of love stories and so much more.
Travelers will make you feel grateful. Moreover, it will reinforce our belief in the connection to strangers, who are not strangers. They are you and me. They are everyone.