The editors of this anthology have set out to chronicle the global quest for identity, making a strong case for the personal and political importance of sharing our stories as they consider whether coming of age is a Western - or universal - concept. With luminaries such as Ben Okri, Chang-rae Lee and recent bestsellers including Marjane Satrapi and Alexandra Fuller, this collection includes detailed introductions to each piece of memoir, graphics, lyric prose and tales which provide historical and cultural context.