NONFICTION

What is a Refugee? William Maley Scribe, $29.99

With the crisis about boat people out of sight for now, it’s time to consider what refugees are. Professor William Maley discusses this global epidemic with facts, cool accounts of the laws, and careful compassion for the individuals caught in the rip-tide of war. Refugees, he says, are an ancient phenomenon, brought to us now by systems of border control scarcely 100 years old. Maley points out the challenges of marking borders in a world where there are no limits on business transactions; TV and internet access are endemic, and transport is cheap. It puts unbearable strain on the “credibility of the birthright lottery”. Maley gives a clear and readable account of the problem, but admits there are no quick fixes — and any solution that looks too good to be true probably is. Verdict: excellent