My books for Spanish readers!

Dear Blog Visitor,

I have exciting news! Three of my children & YA Books are now also available in Spanish! Leo & Mousi, Refugees Unwanted!, Teddy & Lily, True Friendship is Unconditional Loyalty and Birdy & Fishy, Destination Freedom.

You find the ebooks on Smashwords.com and the illustrated books in print on Amazon!

Enjoy! Lily

Lily Amis and her book: like a diary of Anne Frank in our time!

 

This is the English translation of the latest review for Destinazione Libertà in Italy by Maria Sara Cetraro from Armando Editore.

The original article!     Get your copy in Italian on Amazon

Lily Amis e il suo libro: come un Diario di Anna Frank nel nostro tempo /

Lily Amis and her book: like a diary of Anne Frank in our time

Lily Amis - Destination Freedom, the voice of the voiceless.
Review (Armando Editore 2018)

by Roby Guerra

It seems like a modern fairy tale with the classic happy ending and the author is nowadays a well-known writer of children's books. And maybe in a few centuries this book will be perceived like one of them. Instead, it is a dramatically autobiographical book.

It was 1979, someone in the West pre Radical Chic and pompously progressive, actually communist, praised the so-called Islamic revolution of Khomeini. On the other hand, Iran, ex Persia, even cradle of civilization, entered a nightmare which still persists, despite two wars in the western gulf, the fall of Saddam himself, etc.

In the Persia of the so-called Scià and Soraya, needless to say ... a regime that was not so democratic but at least characterized by a certain Western modernity, including some rights for women.

A lucky girl, the daughter of a well-off family, is struck by a metaphorical shower of revolutionary radiation and engages in a long escape towards Europe.

Only at the end of a long journey, with her childhood and dreams slaughtered, the little Lily, who is the author herself (and her family) will find in Switzerland conditions of relative balance and gradually the peace they seemed to have lost.

Becoming adult, Lily Amis will achieve the "perfect" integration: graduate in Web Marketing, writer and illustrator for children, an activist for civil and human rights, also known by the general public since 2015, after another the umpteenth crisis in Syria, still related to the civil war and the problem of political refugees: almost a circle that closes, but just mockingly ... a replay of her experience with the original Islamic revolution in Persia, fortunately in a "opposite" personal and experiential safety. Now, beyond the will for beauty, strength and creativity of the author, even transcending the aforementioned historical dynamics, just try to imagine what experience and trauma struck the little Lily. This kind of dramatic events are endlessly multiplied in children’ perception: in just one stroke, for example, even beyond the tragic risks of mere survival, all the normal fears of childhood materialize in real life, having as unique "stellar" shields their fathers and mothers, alternatively involved in dynamics not only external but also unsustainable internal, in constant insecurity and infected by viruses and psychic malware always lurking. The existential and historical development of the little future writer is almost miraculous, a work of art that is able to sublimate even its indelible psychic scars. (The Nothing and the absurd mystery of Life remains eternal, as the author herself confesses ..).

The book itself is a small - great work of art, rare and atypical for many modulations: the personal story itself is perfectly intertwined with the parallel story of many other protagonists of the diaspora post Khomeini: therefore it assumes an enhanced value of collective memory, given the abrupt explosion of the phenomenon of migration and in particular of war refugees.

Some considerations beyond the easy-minded rhetoric that still pervade and pollute Europe based on similar problems: since 1979 Europeans have learned very little in order to distinguish between war refugees and other questionable types of migrants.

The art of life of Lily Amis, and this book specifically, would be fundamental to educate people - a small great diary of Anne Frank of our time, beyond all the small talks around us: it also gives an utopian but possible message. The author's life art, in the luminous and creative end, is a prospective horizon against all the liquid and still perilous chaos for current migrants.

          

  



Great reviews for Destinazione Libertà!

January 2019 is starting very positive for my memoir Destination Freedom. It got two new positive reviews in the Italian Media. Thank you to Maria Sara Cetraro from Armando Editore Italy for the English translation.

English Translation of Review Il Borghese Gennaio 2019

This biography of Lily Amis looks like a short story by De Sade. In De Sade the clean, naive, confident characters are deceived, outraged, dominated, and they have to face perpetual obstacles, such as the story of Lily Amis and her portentous mother. Born in Iran, members of an excellent family, they conceive the advent of the Khomeini’s regime as a regression, a mixture of religious fanaticism, male domination, and pitiful privation of freedom; on the contrary, Lily's family was open, cultured, and tolerant. Lily's mother, when Iran clashes with Iraq, decides to escape from war and tyranny. It is very difficult to escape, finally they leave Iran, at first Switzerland does not accept them and they are rejected but they can’t go back to Iran. They go twice to Switzerland and they are allowed to stay.

But, in a precarious and perverse situation that lasts fifteen years, without a definitive recognition of dignity and citizenship they cannot find a job, and without a job they cannot settle once and for all! Many difficulties occur: Lily’s father abandons his wife and daughter, a second husband reveals as a foolish enemy and deceiver, the portentous, capable, strong mother of Lily ends up sick, even Lily, aiming to become Swiss, marries a fool and traitorous man, Sven. The Swiss authorities seem to get pleasure from mistreating foreign people, keeping them in a state of insecurity. The story goes on as a modern saga.

Both the bureaucracy and the injustices of the Western countries and the Islamic fanaticism are recalled in the story. And it is a sacred concept the one that Lily Amis chooses to conclude her memoir: foreigners should be totally welcomed or it is better to not welcome them at all. The characters are described naturally, through their actions: the maternal grandparents, who are honest and generous, devoted to the parental bonds, the indifferent father of Lily, Hamid, the cynical husband of Lily’s mum, Sven, the infamous teachers, ruthless bureaucrats, a degenerate doctor… Among all these people stand out Sima, the mother of Lily, a moral sculpture, and Lily herself, in a journey between the privation of freedom and the courage of being free.

Written by Antonio Sacca for IL Borghese January 2019

Clarification!

Get you copy on Amazon

There is a say „Don’t judge a book by its cover“. Well today I feel like I have to make a statement regarding my memoirs title, which was published in Italy this November and was presented at the book Fair in Rome Piu Libri Piu Liberi in december 2018.

“Destinazione Libertà, Una voce per tutti quelli che non ce l'hanno” in English “Destination Freedom, The Voice for the Voiceless” is an honest memoir about my difficult experiences as a war refugee in Switzerland. My voice for the voiceless is for all the refugees worldwide, who suffer under the horrible refugee law, which takes away your dignity and human rights. Most importantly the right for an independent life. The right for a proper education and employment! The right for a fearless and safe future!

It is unfortunate that Italian Journalists made the false assumption that my books title and subtitle is a protest against my birth country Iran. They couldn’t be more wrong!!! If they would have made the time to read the entire book, they would have realized that my PROTEST is against the International refugee law! Especially in Switzerland, where my mother and I were treated like criminals!

My experience is from three decades ago. But reality is, to this date refugees have very small and realistic chances to adopt themselves into their new country and be part of the society. My protest is against people like the Italian Minister Salvini, who is against refugees and forces a NON-Profit organization like Baobab Experience (a safe shelter for refugees in Rome) to shot down their doors in winter and puts hundreds of innocent and helpless refugees on the street and makes them homeless, in the holly city of Rome, just a few steps away from the Vatican and the Catholic church! I wonder if people like Mister Salvini know anything about Karma! How can you sleep at night, when you are responsible for such a cruel, heartless and irresponsible action? That’s my voice for the voiceless!

I’m afraid the false assumption by Italian Journalists at the book event happened because of the other book that was presented at the same time on the same stage. I 1000% distance myself from the other book! I think by leaving the stage before the second book presentation began, I made a clear statement!!! I distance myself in general from anything and anyone that is insulting my beloved birth country Iran, my beautiful culture, my mentality and my religion!

Lily Amis

My Highlight Of 2018!

 

What a great way to finish a year that was fully dedicated to the wonderful country of Italy. When I decided to translate my children books into Italian in November 2017, I couldn’t predict that only a year later I would be presenting my memoir DESTINAZIONE LIBERTÀ at the Book Fair in Rome, published by a traditional publishing house in Rome.

 

Four years of hard work and determination paid off. Being at the Book fair “Piu Libri Piu Liberi” was not only my highlight of 2018, but the highlight of my writing journey so far. Feeling understood and welcomed in a foreign country, was the best feeling ever. It gave me power and believe to continue my writing journey, as a self-published, but now also officially and traditionally published author.

 

 

 

Thank you to my Publishing house in Rome, the Armando Editore Team for being so lovely and supportive. Thank you to my lovely publisher Enrico Iacometti for giving me the chance to be the voice for the voiceless in Italy. And most importantly thank you to the lovely Maria Sara Cetraro for presenting my book and translating my answers during the book presentation. You were amazing! Grazie!

 

If you like to see clips from the book presentation and pictures with my Publisher team, please go to my Instagram Account @Lily.Amis

Lily