A New History of Greek-Australian Literature

Description

“‘Konstandina Dounis’ A New History of Greek-Australian Literature offers both a pioneering synthesis and a critical reappraisal of the literary production of the Greek Diaspora in Australia. Drawing on Theodor W. Adorno’s observation that for those compelled to leave their homelands, ‘writing becomes a place to live,’ Dounis situates Greek-Australian writers within a broader theoretical framework of exile, memory, and identity. In her analysis, the act of writing is not merely a means of cultural preservation but a dynamic process of re-invention, through which generations of migrants and their descents articulate belonging in the new word while remaining tied to the ancestral one. Their works bear the traces of dislocation, nostalgia, and hybridity, while simultaneously contributing to the rich tapestry of Australian literature. From the earliest migrant voices to contemporary authors negotiating multicultural and transnational identities, she maps the continuities and ruptures that define this evolving literary tradition. With this new publication, Konstandina DOunis offers not only a landmark study but also a deeply personal contribution that reflects her lifelong engagement with questions of identity, belonging, and creativity. A New History of Greek-Australian Literature will resonate far beyond the boundaries of Greek-Australian Literature, speaking to all who understand that writing, can, indeed become a true home.”