Stories of the Stranger: The world’s stories remind us of the value of compassion

In the preface to this poignant new book, former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown relates his childhood story of how, as the son of a Christian minister, he was encouraged to welcome strangers into the family home and how he “once invited a man in for a cup of tea… he turned out to be the most notorious local burglar.”

These days, it is common to hear mistrustful talk about strangers - people are often afraid. Climate change and violent conflict are driving increasing numbers from their homes. Stripped of almost everything, these refugees become dependent on the generosity of others.

Yet all faiths and traditions, from across the global, have stories of being the stranger in their history, stories of being the people whose survival relied upon such charity. This touching new collection brings these ancient narratives to life for a contemporary audience, as the newest face of a story as old as story-telling itself. In doing so, it is a powerful reminder to look beyond fear and mistrust to recognize the compassion we owe our fellow humans. And that, as Gordon Brown says, “More often than not, our world can be enriched by strangers – even if we always have to be careful when the local burglar calls!”

‘Stories of the Stranger’ is a remarkable anthology that draws together 20 short stories from a vibrant range of story-telling traditions; including: African, Indian, Buddhist, Christian, Turkish, Korean. These have been revitalized by 12 exciting contemporary writers, including; Gordon Brown, former UK Prime Minister; established journalist and author Victoria Finlay; Benaifer Bhandari, a Zoroastrian storyteller and poet; Penguin novelist, Dr. Vayu Naidu; young novelist, Emma Geen, whose debut will be published by Bloomsbury next year; and Sef Townsend, an oral storyteller who works with refugees. Whether poignant, grave, funny or heart-warming, each tells of an encounter with the unknown; highlighting of the dire consequences of uncharitable attitudes and the potential riches that flow from generosity.

A lesson for our time

Sample chapters from Stories of the Stranger