Why Is The Book Important?
Minorities are underrepresented in literature, making it hard for young people to find characters they relate to. As a kid I’ve always loved reading, but it was difficult for me to ever find a book that represented me and my culture.
Since I had an interest in writing I decided to take up the challenge of creating a book that would represent myself and those like me. I developed characters based on people around me, and crafted stories by recording my personal experiences. I decided to add humour by exaggerating these experiences. Humour is one of the easiest ways of reaching people, and that’s what makes the book enjoyable for everyone, as it gives people a glimpse into what life in a South Asian family is like.
Regardless of ethnicity, everyone will find this story very relatable to them. We live in a world where there’s a constant movement of people from one place to another. Being uprooted and moving to a new place is a very unique experience, especially if you have multiple generations living together, all at their own levels of comfort, as was the case with my parents and grandparents moving to Canada from India. Browntown Diaries is the result of old traditions interacting with new experiences.
The book is full of humour, but it also deals with themes of family and finding your own culture, and that’s exactly what the process of writing Browntown Diaries helped me to do; I’ve developed a better understanding of myself, my family, and my culture.
– Imaan Gill
