Somewhere we are human provides poignant stories of immigrants and the hardships they faced to make a new home and feel accepted in a new country. A much needed book for the 21st century that will teach us to be kind.

Somewhere we are human, captures the real-life feelings of fear, frustration, loneliness and isolation, of being an undocumented immigrant , Dreamer or refugee. These forty-one essays and poems express what it's like to miss your family that stayed behind, some so much so, they decided to return to their homeland. This anthology is heartfelt, and a must read that can lead to important conversations about the humanity of those crossing the border.

Somewhere We Are Human is a powerful anthology bringing together stories from the undocumented and previously undocumented. It's mostly comprised of essays and poems, though there also are a few pieces of visual art. Each entry is followed by a brief bio (single graf) about the author.

The range of voices is impressive. I appreciate that the editors held an open call, in addition to seeking specific contributions. Some of the poems and a few of the essays didn't really land with me, but I assume that's because I am not a regular poetry reader.

An unexpected treat of reading this collection was learning of many authors I'd like to read more from.

This was just OK to me. I am not always a fan of anthologies, and just wanted there to be a more cohesive narrative arc overall. Each of the stories was compelling, all were heartbreaking, many were inspirational. The voices chosen were all beautiful. I just didn't love the body of work as a whole.

Somewhere We Are Human is a powerful collection of immigrant stories and essays.
Each author in this book brings narratives that are much needed in books.

Reading through I saw my family represented in many ways.

Sometimes with humor other times with tears, this book felt like reading what I have seen in daily life with family that isn’t represented in books as much.

These stories show the pain families carry, authors carry as well as ways they survive and live despite the narrative that politics/laws give the masses around immigrant communities.

So great and eye opening. A compilation of immigration stories that are necessary for our time. This will help anyone see immigrants as humans, which is just such a sad but beautiful concept. I thought the stories were well written and captivating.

An insightful, intensely felt collection. There are so many good essays here, and it's even more impressive, given its many different contributors, that each essayist is able to establish a distinct voice and sincere emotion within such a short frame. (I did have trouble understanding and connecting with the poetry, but that may just be a me problem.)

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of Somewhere We Are Human by Reyna Grande and Sonia Guinansaca.
Somewhere We Are Human is an anthology of short biographies and poems written by people that have immigrated to the United States. It is an account of what they left behind, what they faced in the US, and the hope that endures. This is a book that everyone should read to gain empathy for the ongoing immigration issues facing our country. Personally, I'm not a fan of anthologies. Each short excerpt leaves me longing for more.

This narrative gives voice & recognition to the perspective of those that have been invisible. This collection brings light to an often lonely & disregarded human experience. Immigration is often misunderstood due to lack of familiarity with this experience & this book brings understanding to what it is to be an immigrant. Readers will learn what it feels like & that we are all more alike than different. Highly recommend this book.

I was so looking forward to this book so I'm deeply disappointed that I ended up not loving it. The cover is incredible and the editors managed to collect essays and poems from immigrants of various backgrounds and perspectives. I also liked that a lot of the featured authors/poets represented the LGBTQ+ community and that there were some subjects, like deportation, that we don't read enough about. Unfortunately, the stories/poets didn't always seem to have a great flow and I often had to force myself to pick it back up as some of the stories looked like they needed some editing/cutting down.

I hate to be critical of this book because the subject matter is important and I’m glad to see the American immigrant experience being spoken and written about but I couldn’t love this book. I didn’t appreciate much of the poetry and the stories which could’ve been the strong point felt uninteresting. There are thousands and thousands of immigrants with surely more interesting stories. To be fair I didn’t read the whole book. The world is full of too many great books to spend too much time with stuff that doesn’t speak to me.

I’m thankfully to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book.

Beautiful collection of stories, poems, and more that give voice to the experiences of undocumented immigrants. I’m so happy that my book club chose to read this. You can read all or pick and choose. I found myself deeply moved by many of these pieces, which showcase a diverse range of voices.

Overall, Somewhere We Are Human felt disjointed to me - and in fairness, I'm not sure how a collection of individual experiences that are all so short could easily connect together. Since these are short essays, I often was left wanting more; it felt like I was just starting to hear someone's personal story, then onto the next.

Somewhere We Are Human does excel at sharing an intersectional immigrant experience, especially within the LGBTQIA+ community. There are some clearly talented writers within the book, and I hope to see longer stories from them in the future.

DNF at 30%. I appreciate what this was trying to do, but it was trying to hard or not trying hard enough, I’m not sure which. It’s largely poetic works, which for me didn’t work. Maybe this is a me problem. But it felt really disconnected and like the authors were trying to encapsulated an entire complex experience in a page.

To be fair, I LOVED the essay by Azul Uribe. I really loved it.

Thank you net galley for the advanced copy.

This book presents a soul-stirring symphony of voices and life experiences. Each small memoir is an invitation for readers to learn, to listen, to pause in a place of common humanity. In a world with many borders and millions of displaced persons, this collection is essential reading. Each author is now or has been undocumented in the USA. Each essay is a courageous call for identity, for belonging, and for human rights. I think this collection is ideal for book groups or as a common read for communities of readers age 14+. Aside from crossing geo-political borders, some of these authors also present brilliant stories of living between or beyond gender, language, and cultural boundaries.

The book Somewhere We Are Human presents readers with many different meaningful pieces of art. This includes many short stories, artwork, essays, and poems. There are 41 stories composed into this book and each one highlights a key point in the history immigration and lives of immigrants. These stories are motivational in a unique way. Each one is so powerful in a way that can make the readers truly feel something. I found myself feeling heartbroken for some of the things these immigrants had to deal with and also feeling motivated by their strength. I would most definitely recommend this book to others.

Moving anthology of the myriad experiences of American immigration in our time. There is no way to read these words and not marvel at the creativity that runs through all these individual works. This is not an anthology that is easily read in one sitting. The book as a whole stayed with me for quite awhile after completion. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

This book is like an incredible art gallery showcasing immigrant voices in the mediums that they speak. I’ve never read a book that allowed so many people with personal relationships to immigration simply share their story in the way they can best. The selection of essays, poetry, and visual art truly show the wide spectrum of experiences. Additionally, the authors share their relationship with the intersectionality of immigrant with racism, sexuality, gender, and personal trauma. I learned so much from this book about immigration as a whole and how much of my understanding was wrong.

I am thankful for this book.

this book pulls out the best and most insightful way to understand the heart of immigration with essays, poetry and prose. I was enlightened and felt there is a compassionate way to look as immigrates as your neighbors and take more action to welcome into our melting pot culture, good read

A beautiful collection of essays and poetry by immigrants.The writing is personal from the heart.Some writing was uplifting some heart wrenching. Perfect for college discussion bookclubs or other forums.Highly recommend.#netgalley #harpervia.