Outcasts United: A Refugee Team, an American Town,   ISBN:9780385522038

Customer Rating: 

I truly loved this book. As a person who is passionate about human rights, particularly the deplorable conditions that people have to go through to make them refugees, this book really hit the spot. You truly root for the people in this book and feel gutted by how they are treated by the Mayor, some of the community, the police (initially), and the YMCA (at times). There were a few instances in which the maltreatment made my jaw drop open in shock and I had to set the book down because I was just mad.

Recently, I've been reading many books about refugees. This is one of the best I've read so far, especially for the perspective of what it is like to come to the United States. The country that they feel will help save them, and yet, in reality, does not give them an easy life. It talks about the struggle for a single refugee mom to find a job that pays enough for her to actually make money after she has to pay childcare costs. Apartment owners who decide to stop fixing up their places nicely, because regular Americans within the area don't want to live next to refugees. Might as well let the place go, rent the apartments cheaply and take what profit they can get. Adjusting to all of the cultural differences. In particular, I found the information about language to be interesting. How adults have difficulties in learning the language because they usually take undesirable, hidden jobs that involve little interaction with Americans, and so children are sometimes the negotiators because they learn English at school. The fact that telemarketers take advantage of refugees' inability to speak the language and understand the culture by repeatedly telling them to sign up for some service and get ____ "free, free, free."

As this is written by a reporter, it shows the good and bad. Selected refugee members on the soccer team are involved in gangs. After all, a U.S. gang can be seen as a provider of a sense of belonging (something teens, especially refugee teens, crave), and for some, being in a gang is not that different from situations they experienced in their home countries. Explanations and history are constant in the book, but you still feel like you are reading an engaging story, rather than a history book, so this retains mass appeal.

I learned so many amazing tidbits about refugees that I'd almost like to share them all (like the story of the American grocer who converted his store to one that had traditional foods for refugees, and as a result, stayed in business and thrived), but then this review would be overly long. If this subject or the subject of soccer interests you at all, then this is a must-read.

As for the soccer, I am a sports fan. Like most Americans probably, soccer is fun, but definitely not my favorite sport. The stories of the games and practices, however, are written engagingly and interspersed with information about the players and their life stories. This is not one of those books where you would want to skip over the sports sections in order to get back to the main story. The stories of the practices and games teach you about how the refugees from so many different cultures and countries struggle with/learn how to get along with each other and build a team bond.

If you have read this book or will do so and like it, I would then recommend [...]. Bixler is also a reporter for an Atlanta paper, but the books are definitely different enough. Bixler's book, The Lost Boys of Sudan: An American Story of the Refugee Experience, does have more history, but don't let that discourage you, as it is also an excellent, clear book with an interesting story of how young Sudanese refugees resettle in the U.S.

Customer Rating: 

The first time I heard of the Fugees was when coach Luma was interviewed on TV. Having lived near this area, and driven through the streets of Clarkston, I had absolutely no idea of the young people and inner-workings of the area. At times sad to read in realizing how difficult for families having to relocate to a completely foreign area with no knowledge of the language and differences in culture. Coach Luma is very inspirational in her efforts to improve the lot of these children, along with a picture of the workings of the "Old South", and the joy of the children as they bloom under Luma's tutelage. Shouldn'nt be missed!

Customer Rating: 

What a beautifully written book. Outcasts United was an exciting, heart warming, sometimes heart-wrenching story. Warren St. John manages to capture your heart and make you believe that you too can make a difference like Luma Mufleh did for the Fugees soccer team in Clarkston, Georgia. The refugees and local townspeople alike did not have any idea what their future would hold when refugees began arriving in Clarkston. This true story reminds us that as a country we would like to think we are open to change and ready for the further diversification of our country, but the book shows us that we might not be as ready as we thought. This small town just outside of Atlanta can teach anyone about the dangers of being fearful and resistant to change, and can help us see just where our country is headed. The book takes us on a journey with Luma, the Fugees soccer coach, and her attempt to unite a group of people through the game of soccer, while learning about some of the soccer team members and their families journey to America and subsequent struggles once they arrived. I recommend anyone who likes history, sociology, and has a love of sports read Warren St. John's Outcasts United.

Customer Rating: 

Outcasts United is a great read for anyone interested in sports and society or social change.
Sport unites. Refugees with a troubled past find a way to forget their troubles for a moment when they join a refugee soccer team called the Fugees. Guided by tough soccer coach Luma, the book describes the players, families, the troubles they are facing with integration into the American society, the social change occurring in a small town (Clarkston) and the residents responses to it.

Warrens writing makes you develop a huge sympathy for coach Luma, who has the role as mentor for the players and their families. She puts all her energy and time into the practices and games. She faces a lot of problems on her road to gather successful teams: from logistical problems and players joining gangs and language barriers to problems with the town Clarkston and the mayor. At the same time you develop an heart for the players and their families because of the in-depth documentary style of writing. We used this book in our class to read in our sports MBA class, and the combination of sports and society is perfectly illustrated. Great read.

Customer Rating: 

Outcasts United is truly a masterpiece. It exemplifies the changes that are happening in America, by delving deep into a small town in Georgia. The book starts out by taking a look into an ever-changing small Southern town but shows the reader that through soccer and an open mind, help can be given to those who are in need. What this book shows is that sport, as an agent of change, can create amazing possiblities to those who may not have had access to better opportunties in their lives. We can't all be like Luma, the main character, however we can model our behavior to impact those around us for the better. America is changing, and this book shows we can either be resistant to the change or have an open mind and embrace new beginnings and opportunties for united growth. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves sports and the positive impact it can have. Enjoy!