In this collection of personal essays, twenty-six writers from across North America share their journeys to their native lands as visitors. Set in mountainous terrain, tropical beaches, bustling cities, and remote villages, these novels weave social and political commentary with the writers' reflections on their identity, where they belong, and what "home" means to them.The result is a sensitive, humorous, and insightful exploration of meanings and contradictions, opening a dialogue waiting to be had by the growing number of first- and second-generation Canadians and Americans who will find themselves between these pages.
By exploring the complexities of complex identities with nuanced stories of heritage and a redefined sense of home, the essays in Returning to Where I Came From: On Culture, Identity, and Homeland open a door to places around the world—and within ourselves.With contributions by Omar Akkad, Nadine Araxi, Ophelia Brooks, Esmeralda Cabral, John Chua, Seema Dhawan, Christa Eddy, Euphemia Vanetti, Aisha Habib, Christina Hough, Maryam Ibrahim, Taslim Jaafar, Vesna Jaxic-Loy, Katherine John Yinon, Omar Linlim, Demi Mutri-Nals, Leshay Bell, Omar Reyes, Mahta Riazi, Steven Sandor, Angelo Santos, and Alison Tedford Seaweed, Macda Teshome, and Nhung N. Tran Davis, and Alexandra C. Yeboa, and Hanna Zala-Ul.
