Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang

Book Review

One of the things I love most about reading is the ability to inhabit another person’s life. I love learning about people who have completely different life experiences than me. I whole-heartedly believe that if more people were avid readers, the world would be a much more compassionate place. 💓

Take this book for example… Beautiful Country recounts the author’s childhood as an undocumented Chinese immigrant living in NYC. While immigration remains a contentious political issue in the US, I’m certain that if more people heard directly from those most affected by immigration policies, voters and politicians alike would view this human rights issue much differently. In reading this book - and many others like it - it’s impossible not to see the immense contribution of immigrants to the progress of our nation. Furthermore, I think it’s difficult to blindly dislike or condemn people you’ve come to know and understand (even if only through literature). All this to say, books that focus on the immigrant experience - like this one - should be required reading for the American masses.

Beautiful Country reads like a series of short stories recounting Qian’s notable experiences in America from ages 7 - 12. While I found some of the stories a bit mundane, I think perhaps that was part of the point. Qian was a kid dealing with childhood issues just like her peers… but with the added stress of learning a new language, assimilating into a new culture, dealing with xenophobia, living in poverty and constantly fearing deportation.

While her parents worked in sweatshops and struggled to make ends meet, Qian quickly learned that the best way to survive was to make herself invisible. One of the first things she learned to say in English - before she even knew what it meant or why it was important - was “I was born here.” 🥺

Reading this book, it’s impossible not to feel compassion for the little girl searching for normalcy and joy in a country that deems her “illegal.” Was this my favorite book ever? No. Did I learn from it? 100% and it's a story that will stay with me long past the final page.

Thank you Doubleday Books for the gifted advanced copy. Beautiful Country is out on September 7th, 2021.