We Are Not Refugees by Agus Morales was hard for me to read because it depicts the extreme pain of people seeking safety from war, gang violence, extreme poverty, etc. Although safety is their main concern, I think they are also seeking a home where they can permanently settle and live a normal life. The author demonstrates that these people are more than refugees. They are mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, sisters, brothers, etc. This is an important book that I think should be read by everyone, especially in light of what’s happening on our southern border right now. I highly recommend this very important book.

A really gripping and powerful read. Morales weaves the story together perfectly with captivating writing. A great read.

Heartbreaking. I just spent the winter reading about refugees during and after WW2. So sad that our world still hasn't changed so very much. This is a must read book about today's refugees . It's pretty comprehensive. It covers all the refugees from every continent and why they are displaced.well-written and well researched.

I still wonder why I picked this book to read from those suggested for me by NetGalley. A book about refugees? That sounds fun. Then I remembered that several of my ancestors would have been refugees if they had wanted to go home rather than immigrate. Those who fled Islamic radicalism and government exclusion. These are my roots, and I have a long forgotten connection to these people today.

Morales invited me into the lives of these people, like me, running with their families from their homes. They have no desire to run. No desire to leave. They love their homes, countries, and neighborhoods. War has forced them to leave. Their homes were taken from them. And, they have nowhere to go. Closed borders, distrust, and dangerous routes have made them residents of inhuman "refugee" camps.

These are not stories that are heard in the news. These are not stories that are told by politicians in the United States. These are people that I have been shown to fear. These are the people that the United States, and by extension, I, are preventing from protecting an providing for here; the land of opportunity; the nation of immigrants.

What is truly interesting about this book is that Morales so pulled me into these lives that I, a right-center individual, would want to bring as many of these fleeing people as possible into my country, into my town, into my house.

It's written by a journalist who covers refugees and displaced persons around the world. He tells the stories of the people he's met and the situations he's observed.

The content is overall good for teaching about the plight of refugees but lacks depth on the political side

This is an important book that deserves to be read widely. Spanning four continents (Asia, Europe, Africa, Central America) and an impressive multitude of countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Turkey, Jordan Greece, Libya, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Mexico), the book tells the story of the displacement of unprecedented numbers of people in conditions that deteriorate yearly for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. Morales tells this story with humanity and humility. His aim is to allow the voices of the displaced to come through – not to superimpose his own preconceptions or prejudices upon them but try to hear, to bear witness and in turn transmit to others.

The book itself is the product of years of reporting from areas badly hit by wars and/or humanitarian catastrophes. As the title makes clear, it both *is* and is *not* a book about refugees. One of Morales’ key points that is repeated often in the course of the book is that only a small minority of people who find that they have to move (because of lethal and catastrophic wars, e.g. in Syria, or because it is impossible to continue to live safely in their countries (e.g. Honduras) are actually refugees. Many of them do not perceive themselves as refugees, perhaps because in their country of origin they were respectable, well-off people. Others because - after crossing into neighbouring territory (e.g. from the Central African Republic to Chad) and then attempting to go back – they found they had no identifiable status and could neither lead a normal life nor lay claim to aid.

In telling the stories of these (non-) refugees Morales attempts to debunk various false dichotomies, such as for example the one between (deserving) refugees fleeing wars and (undeserving, economic) migrants who are out to make a quick buck. His wonderful essay on those fleeing central America because they constantly run the risk of being robbed, beaten up or killed ("The Spirit of the Migrant Shelters, Ixtepec-Mexico") makes that crystal clear. He also clarifies how difficult it is to tell between the victims, the smugglers and the gang members who take advantage of the plight of desperate people; as a journalist, he says, he has to be suspicious and raise the questions that his audience wants answered, as a human being, however, he feels that his job is not to pass judgement or categorise but to bear witness.

The book is divided in five parts: 1. “Why are they fleeing?”, 2. “Flights: Who are they?”, 3. “The Camps: Where do they live?”, 4. “Routes: How do they travel?” and 5. “Destinations: When do they arrive?” Not all the essays are of uniform quality, however some are real gems that I think everyone should read. The chapter on “The Forgotten Lake Kivu” touched me deeply with its combination of factual analysis and personal self-examination. Consider the following excerpt:

”By focusing on the logic of war, do we run the risk of dehumanising the suffering of rape survivors? Of representing it as just one ore ingredient – normal, natural – of conflict? […] Of speaking only of “victims”, and not of “survivors”? Among the Kivu, yes, I found stories of villages being attacked, militia’s strategies to destroy the enemy […] but mostly I saw something much more obvious, to which little attention is ever paid, but which has a profound impact on the lives of thousands of women: rape is a weapon of forced displacement. Not even a bombing is so effective at ousting entire villages. I’ve spoken to Syrian refugees who wanted to go back to the inferno of Aleppo, I’ve spoken to Central American migrants who did not take a dim view of returning to neighborhoods controlled by gangs, but I haven’t spoken to single Congolese woman who’d been a victim of sexual violence during an armed attack who wanted to go home” (pp. 93-4)

This is the strength of We are not refugees: Morales is not simply doing a job reporting on war and human movement but at each moment he is ready to question his own motives, volunteer his thoughts and analysis, and offer his interviewees not only an ear but the sympathy of a full human being who relates to them both during the interview and after the interview is over.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested to know more about refugees/displaced people either from a political/sociological point of view of from a human perspective. Those considering to join/volunteer for an NGO should read this book; even if they’re already familiar with certain regions of the world, it’s likely they will find in this book a wealth of information and humanity. Which leaves out those who see refugees as undeserving scroungers that need to be sent back as soon as possible. What to do about them, how to open their eyes and ears to what’s happening in the world today? I frankly don’t know how to answer this question but I hope that somehow Morales’ book will find its way even to those.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital advance review copy.

We Are Not Refugees is an account of some of the movements of people fleeing from war and other kinds of violence. The title comes from the fact that many of them will never achieve the official status of refugee, mostly because other countries (particularly western ones) don't want to let them in. Others don't want the status, don't think of themselves as refugees but as people longing to return to their own homes, of a time when their homes will again be safe. They are all known as Internally Displaced People (IDP) a label that does not begin to describe their suffering.

Morales is a journalist who has interviewed people who are part of these movements. Many live in refugee camps under appalling conditions. A few of the stories are success ones: people who have successfully relocated, been accepted as citizens of other countries and are making new lives for themselves, through hard work and determination. But most of the people are still struggling. Morales leaves us with the impression that many--or most--of them will never have a home.

The places he goes to include the Central Republic of Africa (which he describes as the hollow center of Africa, a place unseen and uncared about by the rest of the world), Syria, several countries in Central America, and Afghanistan. He concludes with a moving study of the Tibetan community in exile: a group of people struggling to keep their culture, traditions, and religion intact even though many have never even been to Tibet, have been born and raised in exile.

Morales is often in the center of the action, boarding buses with refugees, participating in a boat rescue of migrants escaping on small boats in danger of sinking. He clearly has a strong background as an involved journalist and cares passionately about his subject.

One thing that Morales repeated stresses is the need to see the migrants as people first, to not let their humanity be lost behind their condition, behind what they have been forced to do. By thinking of them as immigrants, refugees, or migrants first, it is easy to lose sight of their suffering, to distance oneself and see them as "other", people not like ourselves, people who often has lives like our own before violence came to their countries or who would, given the opportunity, be just like we are. Thinking of them only by their current situations allows us to more easily ignore and reject them.

Morales provides much valuable background information about the situations in the different countries and camps he visits as well as painting a strong picture of how people are currently coping. However, the book is strongest when he allows the people to speak for themselves. Listening to their voices is a powerful experience and the best way to see them as he wishes: people first.

This is an important book for our times. There are so many refugees and "non-refugees" at this time and many more are expected as wars continue and spread. It was a painful but enlightening book.

I am grateful to NetGalley, Charlesbridge Publishers, and Agus Morales for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What is it like to be a refugee? Human rights journalist Agus Morales tries to answer this vivid question through this book. In the process, he defines a few other terms for the refugee population, viz. migrants, internally displaced persons, and returnees, and explains how they are one and the same, even though laws/rights significantly vary for each of those groups.

The book gets one thinking whether the refugees are really refugees, or are they just non-refugees, as the title says. Through short interviews of the people displaced due to war, the author also debunks quite many myths surrounding the refugee population, mostly the ones formed by people who have never been in such a situation.

The heart touching stories shared by people who have gone through the worst of times in order to survive makes one think of the degrading state of humanity as a whole, and the tough political stances taken by those in power or otherwise. There are success stories as well as those of infinite failures seeking asylum, but the trifle success rate makes one's heart pound. Truly privileged are those who'll never have to go through all that a refugee does.

I would like to thank the author and the publisher for the ARC.

Verdict: Highly recommended.

There are numerous books covering refugees of various failed States, wars, gangs and other acts of brutality. Sometimes like [book:City of Thorns: Nine Lives in the World's Largest Refugee Camp|25659407] they look at one specific refugee camp, others cover the journey or the reasons for flight. In this new book, the Spanish author looks at the causes of flight in three war zones (Syria, Afghanistan and DRC), the camps they find themselves at (Jordan, South Sudan and Mexico), the routes they travel (Mexico, Mediterranean Sea and across Europe), and what happens when they arrive (Europe and India). He tries to put a label on these refugees, displaced persons, exiles, asylum seekers or whatever. In the end he realises that they are people who do not want labels and do not want to be where they are or where they are going to. His book is full of interviews of sadness, resolution, resentment, terror, trauma and occasional a little hope. He probably has not achieved his aim in writing this book as the scale of the human tragedies cannot be truly understood by those living the life of security, affluence and ignorance.

i Have not read a book as powerful as this one in a long time. The author brings you inside so that you can feel the emotional roller coaster ride that you are on once you start reading this book. I really cannot even put it into words. If you read this book, you will understand what I am trying to say. The authors writing ability is amazing. Hold on while reading this one..... you are in for the ride of your life.


5 stars ⭐️ out of 5

Thanks to netgalley and the author/publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this ebook for my honest review.

The book delivers exactly what it promises - voices of the modern-day displaced from all over the world. And in a time where too many people are all too willing to brush off, ignore, or fear those driven away from their homes, "We Are Not Refugees" is exactly the kind of book we need far more of.

I look forward to getting this added into my library's collection.

We are not refugees 4.5⭐️

This showed Empowering bravery and courage for those who had to flee, they were refugees but for those that survived and now thrive... they are no longer refugees.

There was something so beautiful about the pain and saving their stories were brought to life and made me feel like i was watching them.

"Millions of people flee violence every year, but most will never attain official refugee status, whether in the United States or anywhere else."

"But to come closer to understanding their situation, we must listen to them speak not only of hardship, but of hope; not only of moments of crisis and escape, but also the tedium of waiting, and of uncertainty."

He had so many statements that just pulled me in and made see into their world.

These are stories of different refugees and how they survived and how they live now after everything they have been through.


Our first refugee is a young boy. He was along and tortured and forced into a detention center. This boy was put through hell right away and he had no one fighting for him. To help free him

"tried to resuscitate him for half an hour, but he died of pulmonary edema, according to his death certificate. If Ulet had died in Libya, no one would ever have known. I wanted to write a book about people who, like Ulet, are fleeing war, political persecution, and torture."

We get alot of facts about refugees and the number of people across the world that went through different types of pain and suffering. This book was difficult to read because personally I dont like to see others in pain. Im not vein i know the pain that lies in everyone and i know that there are horrible things happening all over the world. I know that there is poverty and detention centers i know these things happen. Lucky I don't have to witness it myself so seeing her perspective and her experience was heart warming and heart breaking.


"W hy do we kill each other? What kind of reason would drive you to kill? Would you take up arms for your country? For your values? For a flag? For your family? Have you ever killed anyone? Would it be easy for you to kill? Do you think the full force of the law would be brought against you? Do you have weapons in your home? And what if you did? What are your limits? Would you kill if everyone around you were doing it? Do you think your neighbor could kill you? Or any of your loved ones?"


"Do you believe walls are necessary? What about borders? What should be done about population influxes? Do you think they should be controlled? Do you feel threatened by those seeking refuge? Would you risk your life and those of your children by boarding a migrant boat, even if you didn’t know how to swim?"


Only the fresh eyes of the neighbors, somewhere between fearful and indifferent, excited and cautious, betray that Osama bin Laden is dead, and they don’t know what to do"

A doctor is more dangerous then a fighter. That stuck with me. Let that sink in for a moment and just think. We think of a doctor as someone who is helpful and a fighter is someone that protects or hurts depending on the situation. I thought it was just really interesting to view as doctor as dangerous but also all to true.

“Yes, I’m feeling much better. I was in the hospital for a long time. Before, I felt like I was in jail. Now at least I’m with my family.”


Akram Jabri, sixty years old, still can’t believe it. He used to have a soap factory in Aleppo, the economic capital of Syria. He made a lot of money. But his factory was destroyed by fighting between the Syrian regime and the armed opposition. He left Syria with his wife, two children, his son-in-law, and three grandchildren. He paid smugglers to get to the Greek island of Lesbos by boat.
Their lives for those who got to have a life after is so sad and so beautiful. He got out.


The other effect: why would they need our help? They have money; they pay the smugglers; they’re far from helpless. Why don’t they sell their phones, their belongings? There are people in greater need. As if it mattered more to the people making that journey to eat every day than to orient themselves and communicate with others farther north, with those who know which borders are being closed and can warn of the dangers; as if a compass weren’t what you need most in a desert."

I thought that statement summed up what people think or dont even think to think becuaseso many people take everything for granted and then you read stories like this and see that we are spoiled humans and need to take a step back and see if there is anything we can do to help just around home even.

The woman is from Afghanistan. I can’t understand what she’s saying since I speak neither Dari nor Pashtun; perhaps I don’t want to understand what she’s saying."
I didnt even take into account that the language barrier makes things even more difficult.


This is a story of many different refugees and how they made it or how they died. We start with a young boy who escaped and detention penitentiary and made it to freedom only to die due to his injuries and sickness soon after being free. Its not what we want to hear. We want to hear that everything is okay, we want reality to be fiction. We want to hear that the little boy escaped and grew up and lived to tell his grandchildren about his journey. But Agus showed us the truth and the truth is sad and hard to read at times but im glad someone was able to put their experience and feelings about this down on paper.
We follow other stories, some happy, some not so much and we follow Agus and how she delt with everything while being right in the middle of it.



-.5 The only thing that slowly the story down was the political information facts. Yes I do think it is important for us to know whats going on but at times it was a bit much.

Thank you so much to imagine via netgalley for sending me an ARC copy of We are not refugees by Agus Morales. This will be available on March 5th, 2019. All opinions are my way.
Its a long time from now but it will be worth the wait.