Family: Stories of Belonging
Alaina Gougoulis and Ian See
The storybook idea of family—dad, mum, kids, gran and grandpa—doesn’t always reflect the bonds that tie us most closely to one another in Australia today. Many of us, even those in traditional family structures, find that the people with whom we feel the greatest kinship—a godmother, a brilliant teacher, a tight-knit group of friends—have no biological connection to us.
The contributors to this collection, among the finest writers in Australia, pay tribute to the people who shaped them, and reimagine what family can mean in the twenty-first century. Forget the old, rigid definitions: this is a celebration of families in all the wonderful forms they may take.
Contributors: Alice Pung, J.P. Pomare, Rachael Treasure, Jackie French and Elaine Harris, Ellen van Neerven, Ruby Hamad, Jaclyn Crupi, Daniel Browning, Amy Remeikis, Leah Jing McIntosh, Antoinette Lattouf, Cath Moore, Oliver Reeson, Fiona Murphy, Shannon Burns, Andy Jackson, Daniel James and Oliver Twist.
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andFamily
‘A diverse mix of contributors represents a range of families and their dynamics for all readers to relate to…So many people are longing to belong, yearning for connection. Family: Stories of Belonging offers varying forms of family and storytelling for the reader to connect with…This collection will bring you closer to whoever defines the word ‘family’ for you.’
‘[Family] includes no shortage of beautiful, tender writing about “traditional” family bonds…but many contributors also reflect a broader understanding of the idea…[with] contributions which seek to expand such notions beyond the realm of the interpersonal.’
‘Family tales, happy or unhappy, are possibly our first encounter with the universals. And they are endlessly varied and fascinating, as these meditations and memoirs demonstrate…There’s terrific writing here that opens up the whole notion of family.’
‘What do we want as readers from a collection like this? Insight into lives that are not our own, writing that sings or stings, perhaps the self-improvement of an emotional weights session to build our empathy muscles. Family delivers on all counts. It has been curated with care and flair.’
‘The stories in this Australian collection explore the complicated and multi-faceted nature of family, both natal and created…As interesting and diverse as these conceptions are, it is the points of commonality that I found most interesting.’
