Laith Yousif memoir traces Iraq, 9/11 and the path to Brooklyn

Laith Yousif has released a memoir, From Baghdad to Brooklyn: An Ordinary Journey Through Extraordinary Times, about leaving Iraq, surviving 9/11 and navigating asylum in the U.S. The book aims to recast refugees as full human beings shaped by war, displacement and reinvention.

Why it matters: - The memoir adds a personal account to the often abstract debate over refugees, asylum and immigration. - Yousif’s story links Iraq, the post-9/11 U.S. and Brooklyn in one lived arc. - The book argues that refugee experiences are shaped by resilience, not just crisis.

What happened: - Laith Yousif released From Baghdad to Brooklyn: An Ordinary Journey Through Extraordinary Times. - The memoir was announced Sept. 25, 2026, from Brooklyn. - Yousif is an engineer, refugee advocate and Iraqi immigrant who now lives in Brooklyn with his family. - The book is available at major retailers including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. - The paperback costs $19.99 and the ebook costs $7.99. - Review copies and author interviews are available on request.

The details: - The 18-chapter memoir follows Yousif’s life across Baghdad, Dubai and New York. - Yousif was born and raised in Baghdad. - He left Iraq in October 1998 for a job offer in Dubai. - He reached the United States three years later and worked at a small insurance company inside the World Trade Center. - He was inside the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. - He later spent years in asylum limbo and was separated from his family. - Yousif eventually became a U.S. citizen. - The memoir covers Iraq under Saddam Hussein, war and economic sanctions, and the long process of assimilation in the U.S. - Kirkus Reviews called the book “a poignant, personal chronicle of an Iraqi immigrant’s experiences in the U.S.” - The book includes humor and insight alongside the hardship narrative. - The ISBN is 9798950391057. - A purchase link is available here.

Between the lines: - The memoir pushes back on Western stereotypes that reduce refugees to statistics or crisis imagery. - Yousif’s experience inside the World Trade Center on 9/11 gives the book a rare dual perspective: refugee and witness to America’s trauma. - His path from asylum applicant to citizen underscores how long and uncertain the legal process can be. - The back-cover framing suggests the book is meant to center everyday life, not just war or politics.

What's next: - Yousif is available for interviews. - Review copies are available upon request. - The book will likely be positioned for readers interested in memoir, immigration and post-9/11 American history. - Yousif’s website and publisher page provide more information about the book and author.