Local Spotlights
Petersham local and educator James Ynson has turned a life shaped by hardship and hope into a moving memoir, All In On Tomorrow. Written as a legacy for his son, the book charts James’s journey from the Philippines to Sydney’s Inner West — a story of trauma, renewal, and the power of resilience. We asked James about the process of revisiting painful memories, what he hopes readers take away, and how life in Petersham reflects the “tomorrow” his book promises.
About the Book
“My son’s birth was the catalyst,” James says. “I wanted to give him something that showed the full measure of my experiences and the importance of unwavering resilience.”
While there wasn’t a single moment when he decided to write, encouragement from friends made him realise his story could resonate widely. “The process itself brought me to that realisation,” he says.
James hopes readers walk away feeling empowered rather than sympathetic. “I don’t want pity. I want people to feel inspired to forge ahead — to be reminded that the choice to overcome challenges is theirs.”
The most touching feedback so far came from a reader who called his memoir a “roadmap for resilience.” “They said it helped them see their own struggles differently and even plan to share it with their children one day,” James says.
Writing wasn’t easy. Reliving the trauma of childhood and broken relationships meant stepping back at times. “But it was ultimately therapeutic. It gave me relief and meaningful self-reflection.”
James’s Inner West
For James, Petersham symbolises everything his book stands for. “Living in the Inner West embodies the ‘Tomorrow’ of my memoir,” he says. “It’s stable, positive, and the complete opposite of the chaos I came from.”
Much of All In On Tomorrow was written locally, chapters at Leichhardt Library, revisions at Petersham Oval, and reflections over coffee at The Petersham Counter Café.
When it’s time to unwind, you’ll find him at Petersham RSL for good food and live music or at The White Cockatoo with family. For a livelier night out, it’s Vic on the Park. And if friends are visiting for the first time? “We’d start with Sweet Belem for Portuguese tarts, then lunch at Frango’s or Silva’s.”
