Trapeze Books lands 'inspiring' memoir by refugee and human rights advocate Arman Azadi

Trapeze Books has landed an “inspiring” memoir by refugee and human rights advocate Arman Azadi.

Jamie Coleman acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to Across Mountains, Land and Sea from James Gill at United Agents. Editorial director Katie Packer will publish the book on 25th April 2024.

Azadi is writing under a pseudonym. His memoir begins when, just a boy, he is forced to leave his home and embark on the most extraordinary journey. “Separated from family and friends, he travels across mountains, land and sea to find refuge. After encountering bandits, war and wolves and crossing the hazardous seas in a tiny inflatable boat, he arrives at Dover clinging to the underside of a lorry”, the publisher said. 

“Little did he know, his journey had just begun. Unable to speak English, Arman battles loneliness, despair and the reawakening of his traumas in this new strange place. Memories of his family haunt him but still he persists, moving forward step-by-step.” 

The synopsis continued: “What follows is a struggle for self-understanding, a dedication and commitment to both education and to making a change and the great strength it takes to overcome the trauma we carry while striving for a better tomorrow. A transformative story, from a child who deserved to live in safety, not flee in fear. Arman’s is a powerful new voice you won’t forget.” 

Packer said: "This is a page-turning story reminiscent of memoirs such as Educated [Windmill Books] and Butterfly [Bluebird]. Across Mountains, Land and Sea highlights the humanity behind the sweeping generalisations about our ‘refugee crisis’, it is a plea for us not to be desensitised to the tragedies that surround us and an encouragement to be active in our empathy. This is just one boy’s story out of the 108.4 million displaced people in the world, but we all know that sometimes one story can change everything.”

Azadi added: “So far, over 100 million men and women and children have been displaced and dispersed around the world, left without rights, protection or a voice. While we often hear about the few refugees reaching our shores on flimsy dinghies or under commercial lorries in the media, what we rarely hear are the stories of how millions of men, women and children are, after surviving not just deadly bombs and bullets in their home countries, sinking dinghies in the Mediterranean sea and the overcrowded refugee camps across continents, are thriving when given an opportunity to succeed and contribute to their new communities. In this book, through personal and professional experience, I hope to offer a glimpse of that.”