Unpolished Gem

In **Unpolished Gem**, **Alice Pung** delivers a sharp, funny, deeply felt memoir of growing up in Melbourne’s Footscray as part of a Chinese-Cambodian family chasing the Australian Dream on their own terms. This twentieth-anniversary edition includes an afterword from Pung, making it a timely return to a modern Australian classic.

Told through Alice’s bright, observant voice, the book follows daily life at home and at school: first crushes, big ambitions, and the small negotiations of belonging. Her parents throw themselves into work and reinvention, while her grandmother’s running commentary grounds the family in gratitude and dry humour. The result is intimate and unpredictable, balancing belly laughs with moments that land quietly and hard.

Perfect for readers who love **Australian memoir**, **migration stories**, **family life**, and **coming-of-age** books with bite and heart.

Add it to your basket and rediscover why this story still sparkles.