Books

Skanda, the god of war is known by many names: Kartikeya, Arumugan, Vel – Murugan and most popularly Kataragama Deviyo. He was conceived to end a dispute among semi-divine beings, and having done so, settled down happily in the land of Lanka.

The legends that are linked to the god Kataragama are succinctly retold and beautifully illustrated in this collectible book.

The sequel to Milk Rice

A bear with a frightening name, a cat who is a dictator, a water drop that travels the world and a mynah with a wonderful gift...

In the second collection of MILK RICE, we bring you a rich and varied selection of eight wonderfully entertaining stories with illustrations and a marvelous mix of fantasy and imagination. This volume is a real treasure trove of words and stories which amuse and entertain as they immerse children in the world of books. Every tale brings laughter or tears and has a special message about growing up. Perfect for reading alone or aloud and for dipping into time and time again.

Once upon a time, the legendary king Ravana displeased Lord Shiva who unleashed nature's fury on the land of Lanka. To save his land and people, this resourceful king hit upon an ingenious solution. If you have read How the Squirrel got his Stripes, it is time to add to your collection. Immerse yourself in legend and be captivated by the illustrations of this book that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike.

Uh-oh, here comes trouble in all its shapes and forms.

First, there is the scarecrow who wants to see the world and finds more than he bargained for. Then, there is Frederico who is crazy about cricket but has a small problem to solve before he can play. What about Minnie who dreams of being a spy? And I can't even tell you enough about the blue stone should you find it, or the Blink Fairy or the Chena Cultivator. Oh dear! Don't get me started.

Approved by the Ministry of Education

Shortlisted for the Gratiaen Prize

Ameena Hussein's debut collection of stories received critical acclaim as well as an instant following in popular readership. FIFTEEN is a collection of diverse, edgy, punchy stories that explore various aspects life, predominantly from a woman's perspective, grappling with various social, cultural and religious constraints

A woman
The demons of her past
A single, possibly unforgivable crime

In the idyllic hill country of Sri Lanka, a young girl grows up with her loving family; but even in paradise, terror lurks, forcing her and her mother to immigrate to America. Both love and loss fill her life, and though she thrives, her scars haunt her into adulthood making her hold on reality more tenuous. When the past and present collide, she sees no other choice than to commit her unforgivable final act. This is her confession.

Winner of the State Literary Award.
Winner of the the Godage Award.

This is a beguiling tale of three women swept up in the turbulence of an island's history and whose fate is woven intricately together in war, migration, love, exile and belonging.

A few months after the 1983 riots, a Sinhalese family leaves Sri Lanka for America. The two children, Yasodhara and Lanka adapt to their new life quickly but memories of their childhood on a tropical island in the middle of the Indian Ocean is seared into their soul. Meanwhile, Saraswathi lives in the middle of the war torn country struggling to be a teenager in a land that is anything but normal.

Covering three quarters of a century of Sri Lanka's past, this beautifully written novel combines harsh reality, love and tenderness with astonishing insight.

'Lyrical, heartfelt and awash with imagery: Island of a Thousand Mirrors expresses a deep love of the country and a lingering sadness at what Sri Lanka has done to itself' – Shehan Karunatilaka, author of Chinaman

'Nayomi Munaweera pulls you into this book's big-hearted embrace with fierce, poetic language and striking imagery. The three women at the core of the ambitious, globe-spanning story show us, heart-breakingly, that we are linked by more than nation, more than race, more, even than blood. A dark, beautiful transporting debut' – V. V. Ganeshananthan, author of Love Marriage

'In Island of a Thousand Mirrors, Nayomi Munaweera writes with ferocity, fire and poetry of the incomprehensible madness of civil war and its effects upon those caught within it, whether in the villages and cities of Sri Lanka, or half a world away. A masterful, incendiary debut' – Janet Fitch, author of White Oleander

 Winner of the Commonwealth Prize

"There will be no going back, perhaps no going forward. Nothing will ever be the same, each relationship will have to be re-made. It is death- no reason, no compassion, no art."

In his second book, Sam Bunny bravely engages with the problems of asylum-seekers in Australia and compels readers to empathise wholeheartedly with their 'othered' existence. Could the plight of the inhabitants of The Lot be fictitious after all?

A requiem for Sri Vikrama Rajasinha

On 24 Jan 1816, the captured king of Kandy was escorted on board the Cornwallis together with his queens, relatives and servants. Almost a month later, King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha arrives at the Vellore Fort in India, to spend his remaining days in exile. Thus ends the tragic tale of the Doomed King of Lanka.

Using Kadaimpot, vittipot and documents from English servicemen, Gananath Obeysekere reveals a portrait of a king who was much maligned and betrayed by those he trusted. The Doomed King makes for fascinating reading where a master spy, a Machiavellian governor and an opportunistic nobleman together, bring about the fall of the Kandyan Kingdom.

'This book confirms that Obeysekere, probably the most distinguished living anthropologist, remains at the peak of his prodigious scholarly powers.' - Rajeev Bhargava, Professor, CSDS, Delhi

'Essential reading, not only for its accounts of colonial rule in Kandy, but also for providing an example of the long-lasting persistence of historical knowledge that was constructed to justify imperial expansion.' - John Rogers, American Inst of Sri Lankan Studies

An introduction to mammals of Sri Lanka for children.

The book provides detailed descriptions of mammals, how they feed, where they live and where they are found in Sri Lanka. It includes a list of mammals endemic to Sri Lanka and discusses the threats they are subject to and how they are protected from these threats.

This is a revised and updated edition of a 1990s original, which includes more species and rich illustrations. Scientific terms are used and explained throughout the book which will prove a valuable source of reference for children and adults.

“In my childhood, I was known as the boy whose mother had run off with an Englishman”

So begins the story of Myshkin and his mother Gayatri, who is driven to rebel against tradition and follow her artist’s instinct for freedom.

Anuradha Roy’s deeply moving novel tells the story of men and women trapped in a dangerous era uncannily similar to the present. Its scale is matched by its power as a parable of our times.

'This is why you read fiction at all' – Marie Arana, Washington Post

'Roy’s prose does not hit a single wrong note: its restrained beauty sings off the page' – Neel Mukherjee, Time Magazine

LABOUR, FEMINISM & ETHNICITY IN SRI LANKA presents selected essays by leading academic and feminist figure Kumari Jayawardena.

A collection of seminal essays uniting diverse topics encompassing the heading. From 'Striking Printers' and 'Pioneer Rebels Among The Colombo Working Class' to remembering activists like Heidi Keunemann and Vivienne Goonewardena the book goes on to explore the effects on Sinhal Buddhism on 'The Daughters of The Soil' and 'The White Woman's Other Burden'. As can be expected, a meticulously researched and thoughtfully assembled text that will remain essential reading for anyone interested in the structuring of Sri Lanka.

Long listed for the Dublin Impac Prize in 2012

A rollicking, racy, fast paced read of a medical intern's first year at the prestigious St Ivanhoe Hospital. Dr Manjula Mendis, first generation immigrant in an unnamed Western country is the hope and salvation of his immigrant parents. His adventures both in the hospital and out of it, his quest for love amidst the plotting and planning of an arranged marriage ensure that this novel will keep the reader either incredulous at the range of medical oddities presented or keep them grinning at the misadventures that seem intent on following our unlikely hero.

Chilli, Chicks & Heart Attacks is a light-hearted rollercoaster read, fluently written, in snappy and colourful language... Sanjaya's strength is in fleshing out his characters – Renuka Sadanandan

State Literary Award Winner; Shortlisted for the Gratiaen Prize

Enter a world of heat lighting and jazz, old radios and secret songs, the conversations that lovers have in the moments before dawn. Afdhel Aziz draws on the rich imagery of his home Sri Lanka to create poems of simple intimacy, capturing the lush beauty of the country, as well as its darker sides.

The confrontations of a man and his heart – Carl Muller

For anyone longing to return to a country in the imagination – The Sunday Times

Poems of simple intimacy that capture the lush beauty of Sri Lanka – The Daily Mirror

You've always wondered how squirrels got their distinctive stripes. Well, once upon a time, clever little squirrels joined a legendary battle that took place in the land of Lanka. As reward for their valour they received a sign of affection that they carry even today! Read all about it with your children, from this beautifully illustrated collectible book.

The exciting sequel to Mythil's Secret

Mythil must put aside his problems with a school bully when his secret friend Asiri suddenly regains a part of his memory. But is Asiri's fantastic story from wartime Ceylon a figment of Mythil's imagination or did it really happen? Can Mythil use what he has learned on Asiri's Quest to overcome his problems at school? Join Mythil and Asiri on another spine-chilling, time-travelling adventure to find out!

Mythil's Secret is that rare thing in children's fiction - a work that discusses both adult and children's issues equally well... Yet, what takes Mythil's Secret beyond much children's literature, and where it really succeeds, is in its willingness to address the strengths, weaknesses and responsibilities of grown-ups, too, especially in relation to kids.
CHA, an Asian Literary Journal

Approved by the Ministry of Education