Cast Away: True Stories of Survival from Europe’s Refugee Crisis

In her first book, McDonald-Gibson, a journalist experienced in covering the European Union, examines the last five years of the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean. Her account is told, in large part, through the voices of refugees such as Majid, a young Nigerian forced to flee two different homes, and Sina, an Eritrean woman who, with her husband, did not think of leaving her home until staying became impossible. The author’s note at the end of the book clarifies some of her choices—including the use of pseudonyms when requested—but might have been better placed at the beginning. McDonald-Gibson is shrewd in her presentation of the EU’s failures, though she’s often less pointed when discussing northern European countries. The book shines as a portrait of the hopes and frustrations of the families and individuals who risk so much for safer lives and the generosities and cruelties, both passive and active, that they encounter in their travels. This book will be illuminating for every reader who wants to better understand the human side of a complex, wrenching issue. Agent: Charlie Viney, Viney Agency (U.K.). (Sept.)