It was a simpler life in the 1960’s. There was no television or hectic activity and families still took long, leisurely summer vacations in hill stations like Mussoorie. An army band played in the evenings at the Band Stand near the Library. Miss Mussoorie contests were the highlight of the season. People took long walks in the glorious sunshine and socialised with their friends on the Mall Road as the sun set over Vincent Hill. The schools were thriving, and summer visitors looked forward to their annual fetes. These stories are based on the experiences of an extended family during their summer holidays in Mussoorie in the 1960s seen through the eyes of children. So, dear reader, enjoy the gentle charms of a forgotten time and the innocence of childhood as you turn the pages of this little book.

On moving into a new apartment abroad in his Bavarian hometown, the narrator realises that some of his possessions and elements of his new neighbourhood open a window into a flurry of memories, serving as allegorical threads to his childhood, self-consciousness and discovery of the world. What begins as a personal narrative quickly cedes to a social archaeology, inviting the reader/listener on a homegoing journey in the backdrop of Cameroon’s tottering democratic trajectory. Modulated with poetry and music, The Radio tunes in to diaspora, home, nation, education, existence, religion as well as Mbum popular culture, showcasing creative re-appropriation and re-mixing of global trends and icons in specific communities.

Exploring what it means to be human through the Korean diaspora, Caroline Kim’s stories feature many voices. From a teenage girl in 1980’s America, to a boy growing up in the middle of the Korean War, to an immigrant father struggling to be closer to his adult daughter, or to a suburban housewife whose equilibrium depends upon a therapy robot, each character must face their less-than-ideal circumstances and find a way to overcome them without losing themselves. Language often acts as a barrier as characters try, fail, and momentarily succeed in connecting with each other. With humor, insight, and curiosity, Kim’s wide-ranging stories explore themes of culture, communication, travel, and family. Ultimately, what unites these characters across time and distance is their longing for human connection and a search for the place—or people—that will feel like home.

Reproduction of the original: Paul the Minstrel and Other Stories by Arthur Christopher Benson