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Drawn to Berlin

Comics Workshops in Refugee Shelters and Other Stories from a New Europe
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Drawn to Berlin by Ali Fitzgerald blends memoir and graphic storytelling as the author recounts her experiences teaching art to refugees in Berlin. The narrative intertwines her personal journey with the stories of asylum seekers navigating life in a new city. Through insightful illustrations, the book explores themes of displacement, identity, and the universal language of art.
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Format: Hardback
$4799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're interested in exploring the intersection of art and humanitarian stories, as it provides a personal and vivid depiction of refugee life in Berlin through captivating illustrations and narrative. The memoir offers a poignant and humanising perspective on the challenges and resilience of those seeking asylum, appealing to readers who appreciate graphic storytelling with a powerful social message.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

A compassionate mix of memoir and graphic journalism recounting one cartoonists experience working in a Berlin refugee shelter.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Ali Fitzgerald is an artist trying to find herself in a rapidly changing city facing an influx of asylum seekers. In Berlin, she teaches an art class to displaced people who have travelled from war-torn countries such as Syria and Afghanistan.

Given Fitzgerald's encouragement, her students take pen in hand and express their painful memories of home and cautious optimism about their new life. Revealing the humanity behind the politics of immigration, Drawn to Berlin is about loss, community, and the art that binds people together.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Drawn to Berlin by Ali Fitzgerald has received praise for its beautiful and sensitive approach, often highlighted as illuminating and occasionally humorous. Reviewers have noted its celebration of the cathartic power of art and how it provides a deeply empathetic examination of displacement through comic workshops in Berlin's refugee shelters. The book is commended for using art to humanise the refugee crisis, with its black-and-white drawings effectively supporting its introspective tone while also incorporating elements of lightness. It is regarded as an important read in the current political climate, offering a thoughtful portrayal of hope and the immigrant experience.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781683961321

Publisher: Fantagraphics

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 18 October 2018

Country: United States

Imprint: Fantagraphics

Illustration: 196 Illustrations

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 190.0mm

Height: 228.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 196

About the Author

Ali Fitzgerald is a comic columnist for The New Yorker, where she also contributes writing and visual essays. Her popular webcomic series, Hungover Bear and Friends, was published by McSweeney's and she has contributed regular comics to The New York Times and New York Magazine. Her graphic nonfiction book, Drawn to Berlin: Comic Workshops in Refugee Shelters and Other Stories from a New Europe (Fantagraphics, 2018) was named one of the best comics of 2018 by Vulture and won the Independent Publisher's award for best graphic book of 2019. Fitzgerald's artwork has been exhibited internationally and she has shown in institutions like the Haus am Luetzowplatz, The Austin Museum of Art, the Center for Book Arts, and SP2 Gallery. She often works with museums and urban spaces on comics and public art projects. In late 2021, she created a series of murals for the Berlin Subway and in 2023, she was nominated for the Cartoonist Studio Prize for "Iconic," a comic commissioned by the Museum of Modern Art. Born in Oakland, CA, she graduated with an MFA from the University of Texas at Austin, and lives in Paris.

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