This is an important work: South Asian authors writing from all parts of the diaspora. Much of the work is from authors LGBTQ, and much of the work dealing with LGBTQ themes. The works from the oldest writers come first, and the collection ends with a writer born in the 70s, who, sadly, died last year, after writing a novel that took him 16 years: Numair A. Choudhury. Refreshing.

3 stars
The perfection of giving by Chiyra Fernando
Did you ever notice how the people who talk most about being religious, are some of the most hypocritical and ungenerous people? This is a story about this kind of person and the karma that they so deserve coming their way.

3 stars
The management of grief by Bharati Mukherjee
This is a story about the survivors of families who were killed in air India flight 182, in 1995 I believe.

3 stars
Crossmatch by Farida Karodia
Hindu Indian parents can be very old-fashioned when it comes to their children's marriage matches. And this story two sets of parents, trying to match up their children, are in for a rude awakening.

4 stars
The collectors by Rohinton Mistry
The disappointment a father suffers when his bully-boy son does not share interest in his stamp hobby leads to the father cultivating a friendship with the next-door neighbor boy. (I made the mistake of reading this story while I was eating a salad with blue-cheese dressing on it.)

3 stars
We're not Jews by Hanif Kureishi
A sad story about a little boy who lives with his mixed-race family in England and gets bullied every day at school, without even understanding why.

3 stars
Captives by Romesh Gunesekera
Sigiyira is a black rock on a mountain in Sri Lanka. An English couple stops at a newly-opened hotel on their"honeymoon." The manager accompanies them up the mountain and tells them the story of Kassyapa, the illegitimate son of the king, who built a palace on top of the mountain.

4 stars
Out on" Main St by Shani Mootoo
Trinidad's population is a mish-mash of different populations, cultures. Many born there have no idea what other's expectations mean, when they think they know who they are by looking at their face. This author's work is hilarious:
"De atmosphere in de room take a hairpin turn, and it was Man aggressing on woman, woman warding off a herd a man who just had dey pride publicly cut up a couple of times in just a few minutes.
One brother walk over to Janet and me and he stand up facing me with his hands clasp in front a his crotch, like if he protecting it. Stiff stiff, looking at me, he say, 'will that be all?'
Mih crew cut start to tingle, so I put on Mih femmest smile and say, 'yes that's it, thank you. Just the bill please.' de smartass turn to face Janet and he remove his hands from in front a his crotch and slip his thumbs inside his pants like a cowboy 'bout to do a square dance. He smile, looking down at her attentive fuh so, and he say, 'can I do anything for you?'
I didn't give Janet time for his intent to even register before I bulldoze in mih most un femmest Manner, 'she have everything she need, man, thank you. The bill please.' Yuh think he hear me? It was like I was talking to thin air. He remain smiling at Janet, but she, looking at me, not at him, say, 'you heard her. The bill please.'
Before he could even leave the table proper, I start mih tirade. 'but hey hey! You see that? You could believe that! The effing so-and-so! One minute you feel sorry for them and next minute they harassing the heck out of you. Janet, he crazy to mess with my woman, yes! ' Janet get vex with me and say I overreacting and it's not for me to be Vex, but fuh she to be Vex. Is she he insult, and she could take good enough care a she self."

Just when I stand up to leave, de doors dem open up and in walks SAndy and Lise, coming for dey weekly hit a Indian sweet. Well, with Sandy and lise is a dead giveaway dat dey not dressing for any man, it have no place in dey life fuh man-vibes, and dat in fact they have a blatant penchant fuh women. Soon as dey enter de room yuh could see de brothers and de couple men customers dat had come in minutes before stare dem down from head to Birkenstocks, dey eyes bulging with disgust. And de women in de room start shoo-shooing, and putting dey hand in front dey mouth to stop dey surprise, and false teeth, too, from falling out. Sandy and lise spot us instantly and dey call out to us Shameless, loud and affectionate. Dey leap over to us, eager to hug up and kiss like if dey hadn't seen us for years, but it was really only since two nights aback when we went out to dey favorite Indian restaurant for dinner. I figure dat de display was a genuine happiness to be seen wit us in dat place. While we stand up dere chatting, Sandy insist on rubbing she hand up and down Janet back--wit friendly intent, mind you, and same time Lise have she arm round Sandy waist. Well, all cover get blown. If it was even remotely possible dat I wasn't noticeable before, now Janet and I were over exposed. We could a easily suffer from hypothermia, specially since it suddenly get cold cold in there."

4 stars
Chakra by Numair A Chadhury
This story is troubling, touching, and puzzling. ( )

A great anthology with a terrific variety of South Asian writers, many of whom I wouldn't have experienced. Now I've got more reading pleasure ahead of me. ( )