Strangers on a Pier : Portrait of a Family

In Strangers on a Pier, Tash Aw uses his family's experiences as immigrants from China to Malaysia as a springboard to reflect on the nature of this phenomenon. In the two short essays that make up this book, the author ponders the eternal dilemma of belonging and where immigrants fit in. This book is extremely personal and, perhaps, it makes us feel ever so slightly uncomfortable in our skin. A moving and compelling read, Strangers on a Pier, forces us to face our prejudices without making the mistake of pointing fingers or creating controversy. This short but informative book lays bare our ingrained misconceptions and turns them on their head. There is no anger or self-pity in Aw's beautiful and delicate prose. There is only the belief that we act as we do because 'we want the stranger to be one of our own'. A truly remarkable book that I am so glad to have read Actual rating: 4.5