Migrant Brothers: A Poet's Declaration of Human Dignity

by Patrick Chamoiseau, Matthew Amos (Translator), Fredrik Rönnbäck (Translator)

“If justice had a Jericho trumpet, Chamoiseau would be it.”—Junot Díaz

As migrants embark on perilous journeys across oceans and deserts in pursuit of sanctuary and improved living conditions, what is the responsibility of those safely ensconced in the nations they seek to enter? Moved by repeated tragedies among immigrants attempting to enter eastern and southern Europe, Patrick Chamoiseau assails the hypocrisy and detachment that allow these events to happen. Migrant Brothers is an urgent declaration of our essential interconnectedness that asserts the necessity to understand one another as part of one human community, regardless of national origin.

Genres: Nonfiction, France

96 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Patrick Chamoiseau is a French author from Martinique known for his work in the créolité movement.

Chamoiseau was born on December 3, 1953 in Fort-de-France, Martinique, where he currently resides. After he studied law in Paris he returned to Martinique inspired by Édouard Glissant to take a close interest in Creole culture. Chamoiseau is the author of a historical work on the Antilles under the reign of Napoléon Bonaparte and several non-fiction books which include Éloge de la créolité (In Praise of Creoleness), co-authored with Jean Bernabé and Raphaël Confiant. Awarded the Prix Carbet (1990) for Antan d’enfance. His novel Texaco was awarded the Prix Goncourt in 1992, and was chosen as a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. It has been described as "a masterpiece, the work of a genius, a novel that deserves to be known as much as Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth and Cesaire’s Return to My Native Land".

Chamoiseau may also safely be considered as one of the most innovative writers to hit the French literary scene since Louis-Ferdinand Céline. His freeform use of French language — a highly complex yet fluid mixture of constant invention and "creolism" — fuels a poignant and sensuous depiction of Martinique people in particular and humanity at large.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Muhammad Ahmad · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book of extraordinary force and beauty, a humanist manifesto and a sublime expression of solidarity.

[Vince Will Iam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chamoiseau appeals to our most humane feelings, urging us to see and build our own prosperity in the well-being of a less fortunate other, one who belongs to the world as much as we do and is as entitled as we are to its riches, namely migrants.

It is an attack on the forces of capitalism and globalization that have alienated people from others and from themselves, as we tend to be defined by what we consume and always driven to consume even more -- mere digits in the era of cookies.

He provides a poetic vision of a world which acknowledges the power of human relationships that transcend and transform established and somewhat obsolete ideas of nation, culture, identity or border.

[Frédérique Raix- McGirt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Une oeuvre poétique contre la barbarie qui peut inciter chacun à mener des petites ou grandes actions pour des communautés plus humaines.

[Lydie THEVENON · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un livre poétique qui parle de mondialité et pas de mondialisation

[Mikee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Admirable prise de position sur la question très actuelle et brûlante de l’immigration, que l’on scinde en légale et illégale. Chamoiseau nous rappelle que la question soulève un problème éthique—il est immoral de refuser d’accueillir autrui, entre autres parce que, désormais, tout mouvement s’inscrit dans la mondialité, et laisser venir à soi, ne serait-ce que pour un moment, même quand autrui n’est que de passage, c’est s’accomplir dans son humanité. Chamoiseau propose une éthique de la relation, qui conçoit le fait humain comme éternellement mouvant. Nous nous déplaçons constamment, autant marcher côte à côte, en cherchant à se comprendre mutuellement, plutôt que de se heurter à autrui. La relation est une réponse : à la peur d’autrui, en qui on échoue à se voir, à cause d’un repli ultra identitaire sur soi-même. Le fait migratoire est en grande partie une conséquence de l’entreprise coloniale et impérialiste de nos beaux pays, mais ne le fut-il pas, il me semble que l’accueil relève d’un principe de responsabilité qu’il nous faut absolument remettre au cœur du fait social, perverti par la logique libérale et marchande (vectrice de repli sur soi individualiste) qui s’immisce et s’impose même dans les sphères morale et religieuse. Quand Caïn répond à Dieu « suis-je le gardien de mon frère ? » il ne se rend pas compte qu’il affirme par l’interrogative être le gardien de son frère. Nous sommes, de même, tous gardiens de nos frères et sœurs, qu’ils habitent dans la même maison ou non.

[Tiziano Brignoli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro scritto in modo lirico che, come scrive l'autore alla fine, è concepito per essere «recitato, letto, cantato» e l'effetto che ne esce è proprio questo.
Un libro che fa riflettere sul concetto di confine (ossia di barriere, di fili spinati, di migranti colpevolizzati per essere proprio e solo questo, ossia migranti, persone che cercano una vita migliore) e di come sia fondamentale fare affidamento sul concetto di «mondialità» ossia la condivisione di un territorio e del «bene comune» laddove non ci sia più straniero, ma solo uomini e donne legittimati a vivere liberamente la propria vita.
Un inno potente e sentito alle migrazioni, ma anche alla condivisione di esperienze, poiché l'altro, in fondo, non è nulla se non me stesso sotto diversa forma. La mondialità espressa dall'autore è proprio questo: dare (dunque spazio, libertà, tutela sociale o, banalmente, l'offerta di un caffè senza guardare l'altro in volto o il colore della sua pelle) non per ricevere qualcosa in cambio, ma con la consapevolezza che in quel nostro gesto sincero e incondizionato vive una società nella quale ci gratifichiamo rispecchiandoci.

[Lea]

Beau manifeste sur la réalité méditerranéenne et migratoire.
Très poétique, à parfois le rythme d’une chanson.
À certains moments j’ai l’impression de lire Kery James
Malheureusement j’ai vraiment eu du mal à m’accrocher.

[Ina Glosli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional and important read!

[bhal · Rating 3 out of 5]

difficile da leggere

[Elliot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impossible de ne pas apprécier et adhérer à ce récit poétique et lyrique puissant, ainsi qu’à ses principes: la mondialité théorisée comme l’appartenance sans frontières de l’être humain au monde, et de l'accueil comme inconditionne

[Isabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author urgently argues for humane compassion when making decisions about immigration. Beautifully written.

[J.D. DeHart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the writing style that forms the skeleton of Migrant Brothers. I tend to read fiction or research, but this nonfiction exploration was a fleshed-out, fully realized, and well-documented read. Highly recommended.

[Dora Okeyo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is beautifully written with the author's tone varying from urgency, to a critical examination of the human nature, nations and the disruption that's neo-liberalism. Here's a stark reminder of the need for compassion in the world.
I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and I am still reflecting on the Poets Declaration that's shared within this book for it's a summary of the content shared, and a call to action. The world needs to read this.

[Cristina Catanese]

http://www.tropismi.it/2019/03/31/fra...