Into the Suburbs: A Migrant's Story

(Paperback)

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Exploring topical issues of race, class and migration, Into the Suburbs is an affecting portrait of one family's search for home. 'In Calcutta we were crammed in among crowds, traffic and pollution. We had visions of breathing fresh, clean air and living in a classless society where everyone was your mate.' Christopher Raja was eleven years old when his father, David, decided to move the family to Australia in pursuit of the idyllic lifestyle. They brought their hopes and aspirations to a bungalow in Melbourne's outer suburbs. On the surface, the Rajas appeared to be living a 'normal' Australian life. Throughout his teenage years, Christopher embraces the freedoms of his adopted country, while his father becomes more and more disenchanted. Just as Christopher is settling into university, the family is rocked by a tragic and unexpected loss. Exploring topical issues of race, class and migration, Into the Suburbs is an affecting portrait of one family's search for home.

Author Bio

Christopher Raja is an Indian-born Australian author of short stories, essays, a play and a novel. He co-authored the play The First Garden with Natasha Raja, which was performed in botanical gardens throughout Australia and published by Currency Press in 2012. His debut novel, The Burning Elephant, was published in 2015 (Giramondo). It was written with the assistance of an Australia Council New Work grant. Christopher lived in the Northern Territory for 12 years and has been twice shortlisted for its Chief Minister's Book of the Year award. Raja migrated from Calcutta to Melbourne in 1986.