I think this is an important book and I found the perspective very interesting, but the writing (maybe as it was translated from Greek?) didn't work for me. I found it stilted and lacking flow, with the author frequently relying on telling you directly what you were supposed to get out of the text or what he or others felt rather than letting the narrative show you.

I already knew a little about Albanians in Greece (from personal accounts from friends) but Kapllani really drives home the trappedness of the 80s and the precariousness of the 90s migrations to Greece. The format is flashbacks written in a straightforward linear manner interspersed with more abstract musings on borders. This separates the uniquely Albanian experience and serves to highlight the strong generalities of immigration.

This book was a pleasant surprise. As someone who studied international studies and political science, I was aware of the conflicts between Greece and Albania. However, while I'm old enough to remember the fall of Communism in general and in specific instances such as the Velvet Revolution in the former Czechoslovakia and the breakup of the USSR, the fall of communism in ALbania was never on my radar. I think this is because it was relatively less bloody than the former Yugoslavia.
Kapilani and his translator put a wonderful human face to the struggles of every day Albanians that is applicable to those immigrating from other, lesser known countries. We know of the politics behind other refugees who make the news - we should know more about Albanians. A solid read.

A very interesting memoir on a subject not much explored in my little corner of the world.

Deeply moving and heartbreakingly beautiful. This book is an eye opener to those who are in the dark of what it's like to be ruled under totalitarianism, the challenges of being an immigrant after escaping from tyranny, and the border syndrome that comes with it.

While reading, my heart cried out to those who became victims of totalitarianism and it made me realize that I shouldn't take my life for granted.

I highly recommend this to those who have lost life's meaning and to those who are seeking for freedom be it from an unhealthy relationship or even freedom from the negative thoughts within. I also recomend this book to those who are working overseas.