In the prologue of her book, The Immigrants' Daughter, a memoir, Mary Terzian depicts her quandary, when faced with the question "where do you come from?" Should she mention her country of origin, the culture she identifies with, or her adopted citizenship? Her perplexity over her splintered identity is not an isolated case. With an estimated 214 million immigrants worldwide (World Migration Report 2010), the question acquires substantial significance. Where to the first generation born abroad belong?

The Department of Education in Queensland, Australia, has been actively interested and has posted the first two pages of the book's prologue on their website, after clearing copyright requirements with the author. These pages are made accessible to teachers and students in Queensland, possibly because of their particular relevance to Australia's population. Of the twenty-three million estimated residents in Australia, approximately 6 million are born in another country.

Terzian's award-winning and unforgettable memoir, "laced with the perfect mix of drama and humor," is primarily intended for displaced and underprivileged adolescents who have been held back from their full potential despite available opportunities. Fatalism, ignorance, language deficiency, and inability to assess the value of education are some of the reasons. The book strikes a particularly soft chord with women who have been held back because of outdated traditions or taboos. Per evaluations received, it inspires courage, by example, to overcome roadblocks to success. It has garnered fifteen five-star reviews on Amazon.com.

The Immigrants' Daughter is gaining favor with educational institutions. Another publisher, dealing with school curricula, has requested permission to reprint an excerpt from Chapter Eighteen of the book in a college prep manual. It contains the principle quoted from an ethnic poem, to which the protagonist adheres. It translates to: "Always target the summit in trying to reach your goal. Even if you don't reach it, the effort prevents your fall."

The book is available at Amazon.com and Booklocker.com in paperback, and at Kindle, Nook and Ibooks in digital format.

Hacienda Heights, CA

###

Mary Terzian (www.authorsden.com/maryterzian) is an Author and freelance writer, affiliated with the Writers Club of Whittier, California. Her first book, "The Immigrants' Daughter", won Best Books 2006 Award in multicultural, non-fiction category and was finalist in Indie Excellence 2007 Book Awards, same category. Terzian contributes articles to various newspapers, magazines, anthologies and online, and accepts invitations for interviews, book presentations and book club discussions.

--- end ---