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This book, and the exhibition it accompanied, highlights the important positive contribution immigrants have made, and continue to make, to our national life. We need to celebrate anything that helps the counter-narrative to wave of reactionary anti-immigration rhetoric that currently dominants our public discourse.
Taking a long view, beginning with Huguenots, noting a less than impressive welcome Monet and his compatriots, and asking awkward questions about our self-congratulation for the Kindertransport and forgetfulness of the adult Jews who were denied entry, it builds to the big question mark against our current attitudes and policies.
We have been enriched by people we have made it bloody difficult to come, to be accepted, and then quietly co-opted their success as our own.
This was an uncomfortable read.
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