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Australia Day

By Melanie Cheng
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3.82 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 805 ratings, 124 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Australia Day by Melanie Cheng is a thought-provoking collection of stories that explores the lives of diverse individuals across Australia. The book delves into themes of identity, belonging, and cultural diversity, offering a rich tapestry of human experiences and connections within modern Australian society. Each story presents a unique perspective, weaving an insightful narrative about what it means to call Australia home.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy insightful explorations of multiculturalism and human connections in Australia. Melanie Cheng delves into diverse characters' lives, offering a rich tapestry of perspectives on identity and belonging. Its poignant narratives could captivate those interested in contemporary and authentic stories.

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โ€ข Awarded the 2018 Victorian Premierโ€™s Literary Award for Fiction, Melanie Chengโ€™s Australia Day paints a vivid and absorbing panorama of contemporary Australia

Melanie Cheng's vivid and absorbing panorama of Australian culture was the winner of the 2018 Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Fiction, and was shortlisted for the 2018 Indie Book Award for debut fiction and the 2017 Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Australia Day is a collection of stories by debut author Melanie Cheng. The people she writes about encompass a diverse tapestry of backgrounds: young, old, rich, poor, married, widowed; Chinese, Lebanese, Christian, Muslim. Despite their differences, they share a universal desire to belong. The stories delve into themes of love, loss, family, and identity while posing vital questions about the possibility of human connection in a globalised world.

Melanie Cheng emerges as an important new voice, providing a fresh perspective on contemporary Australia. Her effortless, unpretentious realism skilfully balances an insider's sensitivity and understanding with an outsider's clear-eyed objectivity. Through her writing, we encounter a version of ourselves that is richer and more multifaceted than anything we've seen before.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Australia Day by Melanie Cheng has been praised for its incisive and deft storytelling, offering a compelling mosaic of contemporary Australian life. The stories are noted for their complexity, humanity, and emotional depth without being overly sentimental. Critics highlight Cheng's empathetic insight and skilful dialogue, capturing a diverse and authentic portrait of what it means to belong in Australia. The collection is celebrated for its unpretentious and realistic characters, making it a memorable and impactful debut in Australian fiction.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781925603972

Publisher: Text Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 08 January 2019

Country: Australia

Imprint: The Text Publishing Company

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 272

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Melanie Cheng Penguin Books

About the Author

Melanie Cheng is a writer and general practitioner. She was born in Adelaide, grew up in Hong Kong and now lives in Melbourne. Her debut collection of short stories, Australia Day, won the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript in 2016 and the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Fiction in 2018. Her most recent novel, The Burrow, was shortlisted for the Stella Prize, the Victorian Premierโ€™s Literary Award, the Age Book of the Year and the ABIA Small Publishersโ€™ Adult Book of the Year.

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