Short, Vigorous Roots

The line between imagination and reality blurs in these forty poignant pieces written by first- and second-generation immigrant authors.

This flash fiction anthology examines the experiences of being a transplant in a foreign land and looks critically at what it means to forsake tongues, traditions, and comforts in the hope of starting a new life in another world. These stories push readers to expand their understanding of the world beyond their own front doors.

The collection contains forty affecting works written by several multigenerational immigrant authors from countries around the world, including Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, China, Cuba, England, Finland, Germany, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Mexico, Moldavia, Morocco, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United States, and Vietnam. Regardless of their origin, all share the experience of putting down roots in new soil and examining how adapting to new lives and lands impacts the characters’ understanding of themselves and their community. The stories are organized into four parts: "Past the Limits of the Familiar," "The Change is Slow," "Inheriting the Earth," and "Tired of Waiting for Home." At a thousand words or fewer, every vignette redefines resilience and the meaning of home.

Contributing Authors

• Ellison Alcovendaz
• Nancy Au
• Genia Blum
• Aida Bode
• Raffi Boyadjian
• Philip Charter
• James Corpora
• Walerian Domanski
• Ingrid Jendrzejewski
• Varya Kartishai
• Masha Kisel
• Ruth Knafo Setton
• Nina Kossman
• Rimma Kranet
• Shaun Levin
• Amit Majmudar
• Maija Mäkinen
• Sayantika Mandal
• Erick Messias
• A. Molotkov
• Feliz Moreno
• Kathy Nguyen
• Alexandros Plasatis
• Irina Popescu
• Stuart Stromin
• Edvin Subašić
• Yong Takahashi
• Alizah Teitelbaum
• Lazar Trubman
• Jose Varghese
• Marina Villa
• Yara Zghbeib