DRAWN ACROSS BORDERS

From the Middle East, Kenya, Tajikistan, Eastern Europe, and Myanmar, Butler shares stories of migration that put a human face on a global phenomenon.

The book is organized into 12 illustrated stories of people on the move. While some seek refuge from war, others migrate in search of better livelihoods. In a story about Tajikistan’s migrant workers, Butler writes, “it struck me that human migration is often thought of as one-directional, but this movement of people is on a continuous loop—an enormous, annual commute to work.” On the Balkan route during what some have termed Europe’s recent “refugee crisis,” he recollects that “on one side [of a new fence] armored police patrolled with batons, while groups of refugees and migrants, carrying their lives and children on their backs, were on the other.” The spare, penetrating ink sketches portray facts and convey emotions in a way that allows readers to see through the artist’s eyes. They are supported by contextual narrative recounting what was happening when it was drawn. The range of migration experiences covered is impressive. In addition to displacement across borders, it includes less-discussed topics—internal displacement; refugees who return to still-struggling home countries; and a section on Palestine and the right to movement—all without failing to note that migration has existed for centuries. Together, text and art portray their dreams, the burdens they carry, and the uncertainty they experience.

An exquisite piece of journalism imbued with care.