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September 15, 2019
How an influx of refugees from Somalia and other African countries challenged an old mill town in Maine to redefine itself. As a New Yorker article noted more than a decade ago, an improbable migration has turned Lewiston into "a large-scale social experiment." That statement was "a blunt but not inaccurate assessment" of the once-thriving and overwhelmingly white town, writes Anderson (Writing/Boston Univ.; River Talk, 2014), who grew up nearby. The town was facing economic ruin after its industries vanished and its population declined. Then more than 6,000 refugees from Somalia and other African countries began to stream into town. Despite resistance from the mayor and private citizens, the newcomers reenergized the community by opening shops, forming cultural groups, and leading the high school to its first-ever state soccer championship. In this sympathetic account of their efforts, Anderson follows a group of Somali, Congolese, and other refugees from 2016 to early 2019, offering intimate glimpses of their homes and workplaces and their birthday, wedding, and other celebrations. In an especially memorable scene, the founder of a Somali women's rights group testifies, at a legislative hearing, against a bill that would have criminalized female genital mutilation in Maine--and might have discouraged women harmed by the practice from seeking medical help--even as she describes herself as "a survivor of this horrendous procedure." Elsewhere, a refugee who works at L.L. Bean praises his employer for giving Muslim workers a dedicated space for five-times-a-day prayer. Worthy as such stories are, Anderson's self-conscious recounting of them often reveals more about her than her subjects. The author also skimps on or belatedly introduces vital context. Not until Chapter 7, for example, does she adequately supply the background on the civil war in Somalia that explains why so many people fled the country. A more helpful overview of Lewiston's turnaround appears in Amy Bass' One Goal. Anderson provides a more up-to-date yet imperfect portrait of the enduring challenges faced by Lewiston. Close-ups of refugees who transformed a town but it's short on geopolitical context.

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October 28, 2019
Short story author Anderson (River Talk) profiles residents of Lewiston, Maine, in this detailed, sensitive portrait of the city’s revitalization by African immigrants. According to Anderson, the once-prosperous mill town was in sharp decline when the first refugees from Somalia’s civil war, drawn by the low cost of living, safe neighborhoods, and access to public services, arrived in 2001. Today, Anderson writes, Lewiston has the fifth highest per capita Muslim population in the U.S., and roughly 6,000 of the city’s 36,000 residents are African refugees and asylum seekers. Anderson’s subjects include Nasafari Nahumure, a 17-year-old Congolese refugee applying to college, and Fatuma Hussein, a Somali community leader and mother of eight. Anderson recounts the immigrants’ journeys to America and documents their daily lives from spring 2016 to January 2019, including their reactions to President Trump’s election and immigration policies (one of her subjects considers running for office; others report increased incidents of harassment). She also interviews leaders of a local chapter of the anti-Islamist group ACT for America, and expertly captures the multilayered dynamics between Lewiston natives and African immigrants; in one scene, a food pantry volunteer shakes her head in disapproval when two refugees remove sugary cereal from their prepared boxes of food. The result is a vivid and finely tuned portrait of immigration in America. Agent: Jennifer Carlson, Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency.

October 15, 2019
This compelling account relates how 6,000 African refugees came to settle in Lewiston, Maine, a struggling mill town with few jobs and a dwindling population. Author Anderson relies on several voices and story threads to convey the complexities of assimilation: long-time residents, concerned about strained resources; bewildered, often traumatized newcomers; passionate, steadfast activists; parents determined to provide better lives for their children; and government officials grappling with ingrained cultural traditions. Chronological chapters cover spring 2016 to January 2019 and follow individuals as their situations evolve, providing insights into religious and traditional practices, community initiatives, and political machinations. Charged campaign rhetoric and the current presidential administration's changing policies on refugee status form a backdrop, adding to existing stressors. Along with even-handed reporting and sympathetic characterizations, Anderson weaves in personal anecdotes and updates about her mother, a Lewiston exile considering a homecoming. Topics range from trick-or-treating and soccer championships to acts of anti-Muslim terrorism and female genital mutilation. There are happy endings, horror stories, unresolved issues, and joyous breakthroughs. Readers will find lots to think about.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)