70 Meilen zum Paradies

Author's Note
Robert Klement was born in 1949 in St. Pölten. After graduating from high school, he attended the Pedagogical Academy in Krems, where he trained to become a secondary school teacher. He taught German and history for a long time. Alongside his professional work, he began writing reports for newspapers and worked as a freelance contributor for ORF. His first youth book was published in 1987. Today, Robert Klement works as a writer. He lives in St. Pölten.

Blurb
Siad, a young nurse from Somalia, and his daughter Shara are waiting in Tunisia with other refugees from Africa for smugglers to take them to Europe. Their destination is Lampedusa, the gateway to a future they hope will bring them safety and prosperity. Finally, the moment arrives. They squeeze into a small, decrepit fishing boat with 55 other refugees. The journey turns into a nightmare: the captain has been blackmailed and has no idea how to navigate a ship. The engine fails, and during a storm, three passengers are swept overboard. When they are picked up by the Italian coast guard, emaciated and half-thirsty people stumble off the boat. The supposed paradise turns out to be a refugee camp. There, they must wait under inhumane conditions until a decision is made on whether they will be allowed to enter or sent back. Siad and Shara dream of emigrating to Canada, where Siad could find work as a nurse. A dream they want to realize with all their strength.