The happiest refugee: my journey from tragedy to comedy by Anh Do

Allen & Unwin 2011

ISBN: 9781742372389

Told with humour, tragedy and great warmth Anh Do tells the story of his families desire for a better life in Australia. Escaping from war torn Vietnam, Anh’s  family almost didn’t make it in an overcrowded boat on the high seas.   His mother made tremendous sacrifices and things were tough after his father left, but their determination saw them succeed in their adopted country. Ahn went on to become one of our favourite comedians.

Unpolished gem: my mother, my grandmother and me by Alice Pung

Plume publishing 2009

ISBN:  9780452290006

Beautifully written, this is the story of a families journey and a young girls personal search for identity between two cultures.  Alice tells of her double life between home and school and although she wasn’t born in Cambodia,  she writes about episodes of life in Cambodia and Vietnam.  Alice combines the story of growing up in Footscray with the traditional tales told by her mother and grandmother in a funny and witty manner.