Behrouz Boochani
Behrouz Boochani was born on July 23rd, 1983 and is currently 41 years old. Behrouz Boochani was born in Ilam, Iran. Boochani attended Tarbiat Modares University and the Tarbiat Moallem University where he received a master's degree in political science, political geography and geopolitics.
Behrouz Boochani is a Kurdish-Iranian author, human rights advocate, journalist, and film producer based in New Zealand. He co-directed with Arash Kamali the documentary
Chauka, Please Tell Us. He’s also written several articles for major international media outlets focusing on the struggles detained refugees in Manus Island undergo. Boochani’s work has earned him several awards.
His memoir
No Friend but the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison won the Victorian Premier Prize for Nonfiction and the Victorian Prize for Literature in 2019. He wrote the memoir on a mobile phone and sent it out in single messages over time. The book was translated into English by Omid Tofighian.
The memoir recounts his experiences in the Manus Island Regional Processing Center, a part of Australia’s controversial immigration policies put in place to discourage refugees arriving by boat.
Australia outsourced its refugee detention to poorer neighboring countries like Nauru and Papua New Guinea, using their land for “processing centers.” Manus Island was one of the most infamous of these centers operated for years before being shut down in 2017. But the end of the camp didn’t mean freedom for the detainees including Boochani who were left on the island uncertain of their future.
Boochani initially fled Iran to avoid persecution. The first few chapters describe his dangerous journey across the seas to reach Australia. After an almost fatal first attempt, Boochani’s second ship was intercepted and sent to the island. Unfortunately, the hardship he faced on the seas was nothing compared to what he would endure in detention.
The book itself has an extraordinary backstory. Boochani wrote it while imprisoned on Manus Island and secretly used his phone to send SMS and WhatsApp texts to his friends. They helped in translation and editing until the book was published.
The memoir would win several prestigious awards and despite Boochani not being an Australian resident, he was exempted from typical eligibility requirements.
The greater part of the book deals with Boochani’s life in the camp which he refers to as prison. It’s a riveting account of survival in already overcrowded and unhygienic conditions. He introduces the readers to memorable fellow detainees. Among them is Maysam, an outgoing performer, and The Cow, a man whose determination is to secure his meals.
Boochani vividly depicts the portraits of these men and helps bring humanity to a place designed to take it away.
No Friend but the Mountains is not just a story of resilience, but it's also a critique of a dehumanizing system. It’s an important read for anyone who wishes to understand the struggles faced by displaced people across the world.
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Behrouz Boochani: F.A.Q
When was Behrouz Boochani Born? How old is Behrouz Boochani?
Behrouz Boochani was born on July 23rd, 1983. Behrouz Boochani is currently 41 years old.
Where was Behrouz Boochani Born?
Behrouz Boochani was born in Ilam, Iran and is Kurdish-Iranian.
What was the first book Behrouz Boochani wrote?
The first book written by Behrouz Boochani was No Friend but the Mountains, published in 2018.
What was the most recent book Behrouz Boochani wrote?
His most recently released work was Freedom, Only Freedom on November 15th, 2022.
Will there be any more books by Behrouz Boochani?
Behrouz Boochani does not have any upcoming books with a set publication date within the next few months at this time.
How many books has Behrouz Boochani written?
Behrouz Boochani has written 3 books excluding contributions to anthologies. All of his books are Non-Fiction Books.