Alien at Home by Antoine F Gnintedem

Alien at Home by Antoine F Gnintedem

An important story, borne of careful observation and an avalanche of experiences, masterfully told.

Howard Meh-Buh Maximus

Winner, MMF 2020

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Alien at Home by Antoine F. Gnintedem is a story about a quest for identity and belonging by a Black immigrant in an America that is marked by heightened racism and xenophobia.

While most books about racism in the United States only focus on the plight of African Americans and often omit the hate, bigotry, and xenophobia that Black immigrants endure daily, Alien at Home offers a unique perspective by portraying the hate that Black immigrants encounter in their interactions with both White and African American citizens. The irony in the fact that the latter group could be xenophobic toward immigrants from Africa while vigorously fighting for an end to racism in America adds to the complexity of the plot.

The birth of the protagonist's biracial son just hours after he is the victim of the most humiliating encounter with racism on his return from participating in a protest to clamor for an end to racism in America following the brutal murder of a Black man, George Floyd, by a White police officer, offers him hope for an America where everyone would belong and would be proud to call home.