Unpolished Gem

This story does not begin on a boat. Nor does it contain any wild swans or falling leaves.  

In a wonderland called Footscray, a girl named Alice and her Chinese-Cambodian family pursue the Australian Dream – Asian style. Armed with an ocker accent, Alice dives head- first into schooling, romance and the getting of wisdom. Her mother becomes an Aussie battler – an outworker, that is. Her father embraces the miracle of franchising and opens an electrical-appliance store. And every day her grandmother blesses Father Government for giving old people money. 

Unpolished Gem is a book rich in comedy, a loving and irreverent portrait of a family, its everyday struggles and bittersweet triumphs. With it, Australian writing gains an unforgettable new voice.  

Winner- Australian Newcomer of the Year in the 2007 Australian Book Industry Awards

• Author: Alice Pung
• ISBN: 9781863951586 (Paperback)
• Publisher: Black Ink.
• Date of Publication: August 2006
• Number of Pages: 288
• Product Dimensions (cm): 13.7 x 21.2 x 2.2