Great BOOK REVIEW from Oxford University Press, of A Shipload of Women's Memories

From Oxford University Press, migration studies, written by Kathy Davis, who is a highly recognized gender research journalist and editor of the European Journal of Women's Studies, the most recognized gender research magazine in Europe.

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Extract from the review:

The book shows how traveling across borders can also be enriching as long as connections are maintained with families and cultures. More generally, the stories of the interviewed women indicate how mobility can promote an understanding of differences and help develop tolerance within cultures, more generally.

This book is a good illustration of what contemporary social theory on mobility might gain from a biographical perspective. We clearly need theoretical frameworks that attend to the ways migrants, often with great creativity, manage the apparent contradictions of belonging and not belonging, while finding ways to live viable lives ‘in-between’ cultures. And, finally, the addition of Norheim’s reflections as an artist on the women’s stories provides insight into the emotional dimension of belonging in ways that a straightforward sociological analysis cannot. She used her impressions of the interviewed women to create a figurehead that would capture the essence of their life story

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The book is, therefore, an example of how the use of imagination, empathy, and creativity necessary for producing an artwork that can enhance the narrative approach favored by biographical researchers. A Shipload of Women’s Memories. Narratives across Borders is a ‘must-read’ for anyone
interested in migration, mobility and displacement; gender and its intersections of age,class, ethnicity, and national belonging; and life-stories as methodology. It offers a memorable journey into the lives of some extraordinary women. And, last but not least, it will leave readers longing to see the Life-boats for themselves, as they continue on their voyages throughout Europe.