The Naked Don't Fear the Water

An Underground Journey with Afghan Refugees

By: Matthieu Aikins

Narrated by: Nick Nikon

Winner of the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting · A New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice

“This is a book of radical empathy, crossing many borders—not just borders that separate nations, but also borders of form, borders of meaning, and borders of possibility. It is powerful and humane and deserves to find a wide, wandering readership.”—Mohsin Hamid, author of Exit West

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.

In 2016, a young Afghan driver and translator named Omar makes the heart-wrenching choice to flee his war-torn country, saying goodbye to Laila, the love of his life, without knowing when they might be reunited again. He is one of millions of refugees who leave their homes that year.

Matthieu Aikins, a journalist living in Kabul, decides to follow his friend. In order to do so, he must leave his own passport and identity behind to go underground on the refugee trail with Omar. Their odyssey across land and sea from Afghanistan to Europe brings them face to face with the people at heart of the migration crisis: smugglers, cops, activists, and the men, women and children fleeing war in search of a better life. As setbacks and dangers mount for the two friends, Matthieu is also drawn into the escape plans of Omar’s entire family, including Maryam, the matriarch who has fought ferociously for her children’s survival.

Harrowing yet hopeful, this exceptional work brings into sharp focus one of the most contentious issues of our times. The Naked Don’t Fear the Water is a tale of love and friendship across borders, and an inquiry into our shared journey in a divided world.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Great, important story

Narrator has nice voice but terrible pronunciation of common words and not a smooth reader

Great story spoken awkwardly

If you’re like me and listening to a book is an almost essential way to process a book, then you’re at the mercy of the reader. Nick Nikon seemed to voice the Middle Eastern words much better than the English, which was an ongoing distraction. He did it better than I could!

Wasn’t this edited?

The narrator mispronounced so many words (even in English) it made me wonder whether anyone listened before publication. Writing and story were great.

Educational Narrative

Well done reporting in a humane voice. Got to admire the author's persistence & integrity.

Very educational

Authentic , very well written and performed documentary. Balanced. Brave author. I understand how human migrations actually happen now