Border Crossing

A series of programmes that sets up a unique pairing between writers from countries challenged by refugee and migration issues with short story writers from Britain. Each foreign story was given to a British writer who wrote their own response, in an exchange of fiction that aims to explode myths, explore shared concerns and extend the boundaries of the short story.

In A Good Soldier by Maaza Mengiste, the brutality of the past pursues an Ethiopian father into exile and shockingly marks his relationship with his young son. The reader is Amir El Masry.

In Helen Dunmore's response, Handsome Daddy, an alert dinner lady notices worrying signs of abuse as a young boy lines up in the lunch queue. The reader is Sara Markland.

Maaza Mengiste is an Ethiopian-American novelist, essayist and photographer whose debut novel Beneath the Lion's Gaze was one of The Guardian's ten best contemporary African books. Helen Dunmore is a prize-winning British novelist, short-story writer and poet whose latest novel, Exposure, was published in January.

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4

A fictional dialogue between Ethiopia and Britain by Maaza Mengiste and Helen Dunmore.

Short story series that sets up unique pairings between foreign and British writers.

A series of programmes that sets up a unique pairing between writers from countries challenged by refugee and migration issues with short story writers from Britain. Each foreign story was given to a British writer who wrote their own response, in an exchange of fiction that aims to explode myths, explore shared concerns and extend the boundaries of the short story.

In A Good Soldier by Maaza Mengiste, the brutality of the past pursues an Ethiopian father into exile and shockingly marks his relationship with his young son. The reader is Amir El Masry.

In Helen Dunmore's response, Handsome Daddy, an alert dinner lady notices worrying signs of abuse as a young boy lines up in the lunch queue. The reader is Sara Markland.

Maaza Mengiste is an Ethiopian-American novelist, essayist and photographer whose debut novel Beneath the Lion's Gaze was one of The Guardian's ten best contemporary African books. Helen Dunmore is a prize-winning British novelist, short-story writer and poet whose latest novel, Exposure, was published in January.

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4

A fictional dialogue between Ethiopia and Britain by Maaza Mengiste and Helen Dunmore.

Short story series that sets up unique pairings between foreign and British writers.

A series of programmes that sets up a unique pairing between writers from countries challenged by refugee and migration issues with short story writers from Britain. Each foreign story was given to a British writer who wrote their own response, in an exchange of fiction that aims to explode myths, explore shared concerns and extend the boundaries of the short story.

In First Born by Leila Haidar, a Syrian mother mourns the death of her eldest son. The reader is Sirine Saba.

In Mish Green's response, Demoiselle, a woman prepares to join her friend working with migrating cranes in India. The reader is Clare Corbett.

Leila Haidar is the pseudonym of a published writer living in a regime-controlled area of Syria. Mish Green is a British-Canadian writer and spoken word artist. Mish has published one collection of poetry, and the book Jebel Marra, a collection of linked stories on Darfur's ongoing war, is out now.

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4

A fictional dialogue between Syria and Britain, by Leila Haidar and Mish Green.

Short story series that sets up unique pairings between foreign and British writers.

A series of programmes that sets up a unique pairing between writers from countries challenged by refugee and migration issues with short story writers from Britain. Each foreign story was given to a British writer who wrote their own response, in an exchange of fiction that aims to explode myths, explore shared concerns and extend the boundaries of the short story.

In First Born by Leila Haidar, a Syrian mother mourns the death of her eldest son. The reader is Sirine Saba.

In Mish Green's response, Demoiselle, a woman prepares to join her friend working with migrating cranes in India. The reader is Clare Corbett.

Leila Haidar is the pseudonym of a published writer living in a regime-controlled area of Syria. Mish Green is a British-Canadian writer and spoken word artist. Mish has published one collection of poetry, and the book Jebel Marra, a collection of linked stories on Darfur's ongoing war, is out now.

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4

A fictional dialogue between Syria and Britain, by Leila Haidar and Mish Green.

Short story series that sets up unique pairings between foreign and British writers.

A series of programmes that sets up a unique pairing between writers from countries challenged by refugee and migration issues with short story writers from Britain. Each foreign story was given to a British writer who wrote their own response, in an exchange of fiction that aims to explode myths, explore shared concerns and extend the boundaries of the short story.

In The Homsi Wolf by Mahmoud Al Hussein, a Syrian father tries to protect his family from the bombing raids on his village and comes face to face with an enemy on the ground. The reader is Amir El Masry.

In Sara Maitland's response, Cry Wolf, a mother returns with her young daughter to her family home in the Highlands, where she has a strange and frightening encounter. The reader is Sara Markland.

Mahmoud Al Hussein is a Syrian writer, dramatist, actor and director who specialised in Syria in children's theatre. He now lives in Turkey and is developing drama for radio. Sara Maitland is a novelist, short-story writer, columnist and essayist, and author of much-praised non-fiction books including The Book of Silence and Gossip from the Forest.

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4

A fictional dialogue between Syria and Britain, by Mahmoud Al Hussein and Sara Maitland.

Short story series that sets up unique pairings between foreign and British writers.

A series of programmes that sets up a unique pairing between writers from countries challenged by refugee and migration issues with short story writers from Britain. Each foreign story was given to a British writer who wrote their own response, in an exchange of fiction that aims to explode myths, explore shared concerns and extend the boundaries of the short story.

In The Homsi Wolf by Mahmoud Al Hussein, a Syrian father tries to protect his family from the bombing raids on his village and comes face to face with an enemy on the ground. The reader is Amir El Masry.

In Sara Maitland's response, Cry Wolf, a mother returns with her young daughter to her family home in the Highlands, where she has a strange and frightening encounter. The reader is Sara Markland.

Mahmoud Al Hussein is a Syrian writer, dramatist, actor and director who specialised in Syria in children's theatre. He now lives in Turkey and is developing drama for radio. Sara Maitland is a novelist, short-story writer, columnist and essayist, and author of much-praised non-fiction books including The Book of Silence and Gossip from the Forest.

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4

A fictional dialogue between Syria and Britain, by Mahmoud Al Hussein and Sara Maitland.

Short story series that sets up unique pairings between foreign and British writers.

A series of programmes that sets up a unique pairing between writers from countries challenged by refugee and migration issues with short story writers from Britain. Each foreign story was given to a British writer who wrote their own response, in an exchange of fiction that aims to explode myths, explore shared concerns and extend the boundaries of the short story.

In Twenty Something Going Nowhere by Ethiopian writer Linda Yohannes, a young girl in Ethiopia discovers her teenage idealism isn't easy to maintain in the harsh reality of working life. The reader is Michaela Gasteratou.

In British writer Nikesh Shukla's response, The Revolutionary T-Shirt, a young man exchanges political naivety for a more complex understanding of injustice. The reader is Himesh Patel.

Linda Yohannes lives and writes in Addis Ababa. She is a winner of the 2012 Burt Award for African Literature and her recent short stories can be read online on www. jalada.org and www.afreada.com. Nikesh Shukla is the author of two novels, Coconut Unlimited and Meatspace, and a number of short stories. He is Editor of the forthcoming The Good Immigrant, and hosts The Subaltern podcast.

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4

A fictional dialogue between Ethiopia and Britain, by Linda Yohannes and Nikesh Shukla.

Short story series that sets up unique pairings between foreign and British writers.

A series of programmes that sets up a unique pairing between writers from countries challenged by refugee and migration issues with short story writers from Britain. Each foreign story was given to a British writer who wrote their own response, in an exchange of fiction that aims to explode myths, explore shared concerns and extend the boundaries of the short story.

In Twenty Something Going Nowhere by Ethiopian writer Linda Yohannes, a young girl in Ethiopia discovers her teenage idealism isn't easy to maintain in the harsh reality of working life. The reader is Michaela Gasteratou.

In British writer Nikesh Shukla's response, The Revolutionary T-Shirt, a young man exchanges political naivety for a more complex understanding of injustice. The reader is Himesh Patel.

Linda Yohannes lives and writes in Addis Ababa. She is a winner of the 2012 Burt Award for African Literature and her recent short stories can be read online on www. jalada.org and www.afreada.com. Nikesh Shukla is the author of two novels, Coconut Unlimited and Meatspace, and a number of short stories. He is Editor of the forthcoming The Good Immigrant, and hosts The Subaltern podcast.

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4

A fictional dialogue between Ethiopia and Britain, by Linda Yohannes and Nikesh Shukla.

Short story series that sets up unique pairings between foreign and British writers.