Cirrus@Austlit

'Asian-Australians have often been written about by outsiders, as outsiders. In this collection, they tell their own stories with verve, courage and a large dose of humour.

'Here are well-known authors and exciting new voices, spanning several generations and drawn from all over Australia. They tell tales of leaving home, falling in love, coming out and finding one's feet. In sharing their stories, they show us what it is really like to grow up Asian and Australian.'

Source: Back cover. 

'Of Indian Origin is a dazzling collection of short stories and poetry by Australian writers of Indian origin. Cultures collide as children encounter racism in the playgrounds of Canberra, migrant women scrounge for a living nursing Melbourne's elderly, and a young author moves to a strange and unfamiliar country where she suffers from dreamlessness. These searing works bring new meaning to the field of ‘Asian-Australian writing’ and new perspectives on the Indian diasporic experience. Though the field of Indian-Australian writing is still small, this vibrant mix of emerging and established writers shows it is by no means a homogenous entity. Bold, experimental and wildly original, Of Indian Origin unapologetically tackles issues of home and provides a unique overview of how Indian-Australian literary writing has developed over half a century.'  (Publication summary)