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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
I am a second generation Australian Chinese, born into a typical working class suburb in Melbourne, raised within a strict yet somewhat liberal (in comparison to my other counterparts) Chinese family environment, so it's no surprise at all that I could relate to so many of the stories in this anthology--the bewildering cultural displacement (the typical "banana" analogy): am I more Chinese than I am Australian? Why can I not be both? Then there are the odd moments when you realise that this is what defines you. How many of us are familiar with the breakdown of familial ties or confronting and overcoming discrimination? I was horrified by Tony Ayres' conflict with a skinhead, incredulous and moved by Jacqui Larkin's chance encounter with a childhood bully in the unlikeliest of places and amused by the "Strine" accounts--how often do we stop and remember those brave, hard-working pioneers who paved the way for us younger generations so that we could have a chance at life and to succeed?
It would have been better to read more about other Asian ethnicities, like people from the Middle East, but this is a comprehensive outlook from people from all walks of life. A good read indeed for Australians of all ethnicities.
It would have been better to read more about other Asian ethnicities, like people from the Middle East, but this is a comprehensive outlook from people from all walks of life. A good read indeed for Australians of all ethnicities.
I'm glad this collection exists, and there are some really good pieces in it. Some are far more powerful and assured than others, which kind of shows up some of the slighter pieces but does make for some gerat reading.
The best section is probably "The Folks", excluding the inexplicable last piece in that section, which was written by the white adoptive mother of a Filipino child and spends most of its words on pre-emptive defensiveness and protestations. I can't think of any reason for that kind of perspective to be represented here, and the piece is hardly a great piece of writing either.
For Australians there's a few minutes' meta-entertainment in figuring out which authors you've heard of elsewhere, too.
The best section is probably "The Folks", excluding the inexplicable last piece in that section, which was written by the white adoptive mother of a Filipino child and spends most of its words on pre-emptive defensiveness and protestations. I can't think of any reason for that kind of perspective to be represented here, and the piece is hardly a great piece of writing either.
For Australians there's a few minutes' meta-entertainment in figuring out which authors you've heard of elsewhere, too.
1 star purely for Mia Francis' chapter. A white woman who let's her son call his friends n*gger is very problematic
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
This is such a wonderful anthology. The stories are by turn sad, inspiring, funny and fascinating, and it was wonderful to get a glimpse into some really incredible lives lived by Asian-Australian people. Heart-breaking to hear about all of the racism, though.
(Note that this anthology also includes South-Asian stories - Indian Wonder-Woman was my absolute favourite!)
It was a bit disheartening to see a lot of ableist language, though. This was published originally in 2008 so that may be why, but I was really surprised how often it cropped up. Also, one of the stories was by a white woman because her adopted son was Filipino. And she justifies the use of the N word between her son and his friends. Which was not cool.
STILL. Highly recommend this one because there are plenty of fantastic stories here.
(Note that this anthology also includes South-Asian stories - Indian Wonder-Woman was my absolute favourite!)
It was a bit disheartening to see a lot of ableist language, though. This was published originally in 2008 so that may be why, but I was really surprised how often it cropped up. Also, one of the stories was by a white woman because her adopted son was Filipino. And she justifies the use of the N word between her son and his friends. Which was not cool.
STILL. Highly recommend this one because there are plenty of fantastic stories here.
I'm Asian and have spent half my life in Australia, and I loved this book for multiple reasons. In so far as it's a critical insight into the lives of migrants in Australia... Not so much. As with most collections, I enjoyed some and didn't enjoy others as much.
So many of these stories were relatable on a level I don't usually experience.
Shout out to the very first piece, 'The Relative Advantages of Learning My Language' which was in an English past paper I did some time in high school. I remember being extremely moved and upset by it the first time I read it, and then experiencing that all over again when I was using that past paper to tutor some kids. I was hit by the same feelings reading it this time.
Only recently have I begun to realise how fortunate I've been to grow up in not just Asian majority, but Chinese majority classes and schools since I was 9. Sure I've experienced casual racism but I've never had to be the only minority in a space.
Reading all these explorations of what it's like to have a home culture so different from that of the country you live in reminded me of high school creative writing assignments where rumour had it that capitalising on this fact would help us get better marks cos the white teachers would eat it up. It always seemed like selling out your heritage to me but I know at least one girl who tried it. After reading this book though I can definitely appreciate the importance of sharing these experiences and I'd love to read more like this in the future.
Shout out to the very first piece, 'The Relative Advantages of Learning My Language' which was in an English past paper I did some time in high school. I remember being extremely moved and upset by it the first time I read it, and then experiencing that all over again when I was using that past paper to tutor some kids. I was hit by the same feelings reading it this time.
Only recently have I begun to realise how fortunate I've been to grow up in not just Asian majority, but Chinese majority classes and schools since I was 9. Sure I've experienced casual racism but I've never had to be the only minority in a space.
Reading all these explorations of what it's like to have a home culture so different from that of the country you live in reminded me of high school creative writing assignments where rumour had it that capitalising on this fact would help us get better marks cos the white teachers would eat it up. It always seemed like selling out your heritage to me but I know at least one girl who tried it. After reading this book though I can definitely appreciate the importance of sharing these experiences and I'd love to read more like this in the future.
emotional
funny
medium-paced
I studied this book in year 11, and as an Asian Australian myself, I would often joke to my friends that I didn't need to read the book; I had lived it already. I did read it, and I was completely floored by it. Never have I felt so represented - in each story, I saw a bit of myself. Sure, many of the stories dealt with similar themes, but it's easy to see, or rather to feel, the nuances when you have literally grown up Asian in Australia. The categorisation of stories also improved their overall impact. 5/5
A sprawling collection of experiences in bite-sized pieces. Funny, insightful, and valuable.