11 Books Written by or About Refugees to Add to Your Summer Reading List

While politicians continue to debate helping refugees while simultaneously refusing to allow them to resettle in the countries they lead, some 65 million people suffer worldwide.

The crisis in Syria has accentuated what harrowing circumstances refugees face, but it's not just happening there: people escaping war, famine, and extreme poverty across the Middle East have sought asylum across Europe in recent years.

Too often the plight of refugees is politicized, as is the case now, but one way to combat misrepresentations of refugees is simply by reading their stories. We asked Amazon book editor Sarah Smith to recommend a few books both about refugees and by refugees to enlighten readers of their stories. Ahead are her choices of poetry, short stories, and novels with a brief description about each selection.