Matthieu Aikins has reported from Afghanistan and the Middle East since 2008 for magazines such as The New Yorker, Harper’s, and GQ. He is a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, and a winner of the Polk and Livingston Awards.
His new book, The Naked Don’t Fear the Water: An Underground Journey with Afghan Refugees has been released by Harper publishing. In this extraordinary book, an acclaimed young war reporter chronicles a dangerous journey on the smuggler’s road to Europe, accompanying his friend, an Afghan refugee, in search of a better future. Harrowing yet hopeful, this exceptional work brings into sharp focus one of the most contentious issues of our times and is a tale of love and friendship across borders, and an inquiry into our shared journey in a divided world.
Matthieu is a frequent guest commentator and analyst on national radio and television programs, including MSNBC, the BBC, the CBC, and National Public Radio. His work was featured in the anthology The Best American Magazine Writing 2012.