After the Last Border: Two Families and the Story of Refuge in America
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After the Last Border: Two Families and the Story of Refuge in America Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Jessica Goudeau (Author), Soneela Nankani (Narrator), Penguin Audio (Publisher)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 246 ratings
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"Simply brilliant, both in its granular storytelling and its enormous compassion" (The New York Times Book Review)

The story of two refugee families and their hope and resilience as they fight to survive and belong in America

The welcoming and acceptance of immigrants and refugees have been central to America's identity for centuries - yet America has periodically turned its back in times of the greatest humanitarian need. After the Last Border is an intimate look at the lives of two women as they struggle for the 21st-century American dream, having won the "golden ticket" to settle as refugees in Austin, Texas.

Mu Naw, a Christian from Myanmar struggling to put down roots with her family, was accepted after decades in a refugee camp at a time when America was at its most open to displaced families; and Hasna, a Muslim from Syria, agrees to relocate as a last resort for the safety of her family - only to be cruelly separated from her children by a sudden ban on refugees from Muslim countries. Writer and activist Jessica Goudeau tracks the human impacts of America's ever-shifting refugee policy as both women narrowly escape from their home countries and begin the arduous but lifesaving process of resettling in Austin - a city that would show them the best and worst of what America has to offer.

After the Last Border situates a dramatic, character-driven story within a larger history - the evolution of modern refugee resettlement in the United States, beginning with World War II and ending with current closed-door policies - revealing not just how America's changing attitudes toward refugees have influenced policies and laws but also the profound effect on human lives.

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  1. Listening Length
    13 hours and 21 minutes
  2. Author
    Jessica Goudeau
  3. Narrator
    Soneela Nankani
  4. Audible release date
    August 4, 2020
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Penguin Audio
  7. ASIN
    B085LTDRB1
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 13 hours and 21 minutes
Author Jessica Goudeau
Narrator Soneela Nankani
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date August 04, 2020
Publisher Penguin Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B085LTDRB1
Best Sellers Rank #91,392 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#39 in Globalization (Audible Books & Originals)
#45 in Human Rights (Audible Books & Originals)
#77 in Emigration & Immigration Studies (Audible Books & Originals)

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
246 global ratings
If you hope to be an ally to the refugee community, this book is an absolute must-read.
5 Stars
If you hope to be an ally to the refugee community, this book is an absolute must-read.
I would give After the Last Border a million stars if I could. It's "the [true] story of two refugee families and their hope and resilience as they fight to survive and belong in America."It's an absolutely stunning work on the lives of a Karen (Burmese) family and a Syrian family. The chapters alternate between their stories and chapters on the history of refugee policy & sentiment in the US - phenomenal & so well done.My own family connected with the Karen refugee community in Raleigh in 2007, when I was in middle school, and I sat in homes of Syrian refugee families in Iraqi Kurdistan in 2019, so these sacred stories hit very close to home and moved me to tears almost every single chapter.It’s clear Goudeau wrote from a place of deep empathy, respect, and care for the two women whose stories she captured with such sensitivity and depth. I’d HIGHLY recommend this as a read for anyone who wants to understand some of the refugee experience & the ever changing tide of public + government sentiment over the past century.I already know this will be my favorite nonfiction of the year. Give it a read, and let it move you into action for your refugee neighbors.
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Top reviews from the United States

Tere Hager
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful narrative plus history of our refugee system
Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2020
Verified Purchase
I’m having a hard time putting into words how much I loved this book. I read it in a weekend, but I didn’t want the beautiful stories of these amazing women to end. The author offers up two stories of women who embody what this country is about and how much we have lost with the current administration. “ Give me you tired, your poor....” Indeed. Yet, it’s not all “ good immigrants” and happy endings. The trauma these women bring with them plus the additional trauma of learning to survive in a new country is immense and painful. This is a book filled with pain, heartbreak, joy and beauty. I loved every word.
4 people found this helpful
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ttrbmb
5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful and Spellbinding
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2020
Verified Purchase
This is a subject about which I thought I was pretty well versed. I was very enlightened and had a huge mind shift in my thinking. The two families about which Ms. Goudeau wrote were incredibly brave, determined, and resilient. The volunteers who helped them were ordinary people doing extraordinary things to help the families find their way into the American way of life. To know that there are thousands more refugees getting lost in the shuffle of our political landscape is heartbreaking. At no point did I the the idea that there was a hidden agenda to Goudeau's writing. The facts were laid out in way that read like a wonderful novel, but which made me want to do more to help those suffering from unimaginable political unrest in their own homelands.
One person found this helpful
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DJ
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2020
Verified Purchase
I’m a speed reader and often finish books of this length in an evening. It took me several days to finish this book, both because it took time to absorb the level of detail and there were times that it was too heavy to keep going. This book is equal parts textbook/history book/ode to social justice and easily one of the most impactful pieces of writing I’ve read in the last several years. Jessica’s writing is detailed but in a necessary way, every word seemed added with purpose. The release of this book is timely and the chapters detailing progression (and regression) of the USA’s relationship with refugees should be considered required reading for anyone registered to vote.
2 people found this helpful
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seamar
4.0 out of 5 stars Informative & Emotionally Engaging
Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2021
Verified Purchase
A beautifully written story of two immigrant women , interwoven with historical changes in American public perception of immigrants and refugees and the political policies that resulted from those changes. I rarely find nonfiction that I would describe as compelling, but this book was a page-turner. The women, from different countries and with disparate histories, are both vividly described and lovingly portrayed. The author's empathy and intelligence are noteworthy.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars If you hope to be an ally to the refugee community, this book is an absolute must-read.
Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2022
Verified Purchase
I would give After the Last Border a million stars if I could. It's "the [true] story of two refugee families and their hope and resilience as they fight to survive and belong in America."

It's an absolutely stunning work on the lives of a Karen (Burmese) family and a Syrian family. The chapters alternate between their stories and chapters on the history of refugee policy & sentiment in the US - phenomenal & so well done.

My own family connected with the Karen refugee community in Raleigh in 2007, when I was in middle school, and I sat in homes of Syrian refugee families in Iraqi Kurdistan in 2019, so these sacred stories hit very close to home and moved me to tears almost every single chapter.

It’s clear Goudeau wrote from a place of deep empathy, respect, and care for the two women whose stories she captured with such sensitivity and depth. I’d HIGHLY recommend this as a read for anyone who wants to understand some of the refugee experience & the ever changing tide of public + government sentiment over the past century.

I already know this will be my favorite nonfiction of the year. Give it a read, and let it move you into action for your refugee neighbors.
Customer image
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars If you hope to be an ally to the refugee community, this book is an absolute must-read.
Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2022
I would give After the Last Border a million stars if I could. It's "the [true] story of two refugee families and their hope and resilience as they fight to survive and belong in America."

It's an absolutely stunning work on the lives of a Karen (Burmese) family and a Syrian family. The chapters alternate between their stories and chapters on the history of refugee policy & sentiment in the US - phenomenal & so well done.

My own family connected with the Karen refugee community in Raleigh in 2007, when I was in middle school, and I sat in homes of Syrian refugee families in Iraqi Kurdistan in 2019, so these sacred stories hit very close to home and moved me to tears almost every single chapter.

It’s clear Goudeau wrote from a place of deep empathy, respect, and care for the two women whose stories she captured with such sensitivity and depth. I’d HIGHLY recommend this as a read for anyone who wants to understand some of the refugee experience & the ever changing tide of public + government sentiment over the past century.

I already know this will be my favorite nonfiction of the year. Give it a read, and let it move you into action for your refugee neighbors.
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Janet
5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating, Educational, and Moving
Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2020
Verified Purchase
After the Last Border is the best book I've read in a long time. I was completely captivated and invested in Mu Naw and Hasna's stories and by the end felt like I knew these two women, that they had been sitting across from me at the dinner table and had been telling me their stories. Jessica writes with such care and love and it's clear that she shares these stories from a place of deep friendship. Captivating, educational, and deeply moving -- I cannot recommend this book enough!
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Robert Finley
5.0 out of 5 stars Knowledge and Compassion
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2020
Verified Purchase
Jessica has crafted a compelling narrative around two families who have been through our refugee relocation programs. One family from Myanmar, another from Syria, these families' journeys are similar to one another and yet profoundly different. Our family from Myanmar fully relocated before 2016 and has persevered to stability while the other struggled to escape Syria. While evoking compassion for these families, Jessica also gives a digestible overview of refugee policy in American History. She will help the reader understand the differences between immigrants and refugees. She'll also demonstrate that anti-refugee sentiments haven't been limited to one political party. Jessica's book is a must-read.
One person found this helpful
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Beth S.
5.0 out of 5 stars Be ready for your thinking to change
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2020
Verified Purchase
What a thoughtful, detailed book about the lives of 2 refugees coming to America. Jessica has the amazing ability to write about these 2 women and their lives as if she were there, making me feel as if I were there. I thought I knew a fair amount about being a refugee and moving to a new country, boy was I wrong! This book not only tells these women's stories, but also talks about the whole refugee process and history. It was a page-turner and I couldn't wait to read more! No matter what side you're on, or how much you know or think you know already, that'll change after reading this book. Even if you're already compassionate towards refugees, you'll be more compassionate once you're done.
4 people found this helpful
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