A good guide from a good company. Not too much has changed from the previous edition though - there are some more detailed maps of Colombo.

This well-organized, chatty yet meaty guide book is all you need to assist you on a trip to Sri Lanka.

We went to Sri Lanka in the high season (February, when the place is full of Germans and other Europeans) and the only reservation we made in advance was two nights at the Galle Face Hotel (see Columbo chapter, where to stay, top end), a fabulous old relic of colonial architecture. With the help of the Lonely Planet, we "winged" everything else: train tickets to Kandy, car rental, dive trips & bungalows on the southwestern beaches. Sri Lanka is a diverse, fabulous place to explore, and the Lonely Planet made it super easy.

Great historical chapter "Facts About the Country" makes for good reading while you're waiting for your cold lassi to come to the table.

This book goes into deep detail about Sri Lanka. Being a Sri Lankan myself resideing in Australia. I found this book defintely worth taking on your trip. The best thing about the book is, that as new devolpements come, the Lonley Planet website allows you to upgrade (free of charge) the information in it, by you downloading the new revised pages. As long you keep the book updated the book will always have the latest information. This is not-only this guide book, but for all of Lonley Planets guide books. Normally I would give this book 4 stars, but for this feature alone 5 stars is worth the effort.

I was searching for a good book on India, with a historical bent, as a gift for a friend here in the US. This book provides a very good introduction with pictures, illustrations and relevant facts. The book provides a general outline of history and more importantly also introduces the reader to the general mindset & prevailing conditions ("cultural atlas") in India. It also provides some basic information on the states and neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan & Burma.

The special features sections focus on the things that people of India are most likely to be known about. Most people will not remember everything about a culture/nation. They will probably remember only the most interesting things and the special features of this book present these in a clear, understandable manner, i.e mostbly agreeable to people like me who have grown up in India.

Non-fiction books are hard to read for some people, these people are looking to escape from the ordinary. This book will interest the reader into reading & learning more about India. As for fantasy the readers might want to try tales, parables and comics like Jataka stories, Amar Chitra Katha...

As an Indian, I'm wary when "outsiders" put together a book on my country, but this book is exceptional. It gives facts and general descriptions of anything and everything when one thinks of India. Lots of pictures makes it an easy read. Worth every penny. This is the book teachers in America should use when trying to give an overview on INDIA.

RARELY HAVE I SEEN A BOOK COME OUT IN SUCH A DETAIL ABOUT SRILANKAN CUISINE.THE SRILANKAN CUISINE IS A COMBINATION OF ORIENTAL & INDIAN CUISINES WHICH HAS BEEN VERY WELL ELABORATED BY HEATHER JANSZ .I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO WIVES WHO WANT TO WIN HUSBAND'S HEART TO COOKERY STUDENTS .

I learned about this book after I met Heather Jansz. It was worth of waiting 3 monthes. When Heather is cooking you can really fell in love with Asian food. She is doing this from her heart and soul! Our eating habbits changed since we met Heather and we can't imagine our meal without adding Thai or chili hot peppers and other Asian Spices. The food is not burning hot, it's deliciously hot, and taste wonderfull. It's makes you feel good, gives you lot's of energy and that's what we love. When we use the book there is no questions on how? why? or what? It's all there. It's sincere and written by a highly professional Chef. We are the lucky ones to know Heather and because we continue discover the best of Asian food and love it more. The book is a treasure to have!
Bon Appetite! Merci Becaup!

Only Man is Vile is a thorough look at the recent history of the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict. McGowan uses many sources to examine a civil war that has continued for a long time without garnering much international attention. As someone from that part of the world (South India, quite close to Sri Lanka), though, I was struck by McGowan's seemingly imperialist attitude towards the people of Sri Lanka. Sinhalese music is described as wailing; the actions of a doctor treating a scorpion-stung woman are criticized in terms echoing those of nineteenth century missionaries. Throughout the book there seems to be an underlying tone of disdain for these peoples. Perhaps I am being oversensitive, but it does seem that at points McGowan is far from sympathizing with, leave alone understanding, the local people.

First of all, I disagree with the previous reviewer that the author strikes an "imperialist" tone in any part of this book. My impression is that he writes with understanding and compassion about a place most Westerners hardly realize exists.

That being said, my repeated thought while reading "Only Man is Vile" is that I am profoundly grateful that I was not born there, have any friends or relatives there, and have no need to travel there. Who can blame me or anyone else from having such a sentiment? Sri Lanka is a place where there are multiple vicious conflicts raging: Sinhalese versus Tamil, Sinhalese extremists against the Sinhalese-dominated central government, and Tamil versus Muslim.

Perhaps the reason why Americans know so little about this country is because of two factors. First, Sri Lanka is a state that has virtually no similarities to the United States. Second, there are very few heroes in what is going on over there. In fact, the only people I feel some sympathy towards are the moderate Tamils. They are the most sinned against.

On a closing note, anyone who believes in racial pride, a dominant role for religion in politics, or affirmative action should give this book a good hard read. What they learn might just change their minds.

A. Sivanandan left Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the '56 riots. His descriptions of the environment of Sri Lanka in the book after that tragedy are thus largely based on speculation and tales spun by others like him. The story is an attempt to give a history of Sri Lanka in the twentieth century from a socialist's point of view. He basically tells the reader that socialism was corrupted by Sinhala politics (he gives absolutely no attention to Tamil ethnic politics, which played at least an equal role in the creation of tensions) and 'greed.' Perhaps he has not considered that socialism is such a flawed philosophy because it is so easy to subvert- that much is obvious to any student of modern Sri Lankan history. Book Three is full of misperceptions and speculation- for example, he presents Sinhala people as being fully cognizant of the problems created by Sinhala nationalism (nothing is farther from the truth- few people, Tamil or Sinhala had any idea the politics of the day would lead to a civil war). His hero in Book Three, Vijay (an erstwhile hybrid- a Sinhala who had been "blessed" with some Tamil upbringing-) is a character paralyzed with ignorance and uncertainty. He can barely argue against his own grade-school students, who are horrible stereotypes of Sinhalas "brainwashed" by ethnic nationalism. The weak arguments he does present are those used by current Eelamists- they are hardly accepted by many, if not most Sri Lankans. Sivanandan's point of the story seems to be that ignorance of history leads to loss of identity. I agree- I would advise him and people like him to treat history seriously, not as a diversion to earn royalties.

note: this review was written by an actual Sri Lankan

Sivanandan's book is a vivid telling of three generations of a Sri Lankan Tamil family and of the disintegration of ethnic harmony on the island. Having fled Sri Lanka after the 1956 riots Sivanandan's novel is remarkably even-handed and captures the humanity on both sides. Sri Lanka's post-colonial history is one of failed expectations and avoidable disasters. Sivanandan thoughtfully sketches the path to Sri Lanka's civil war and the painful breakdown in relations between the Sinhalese and the Tamils. The tragedy of the estrangement between some of the key Sinhalese and Tamil characters in the novel is all the more poignant considering that Sinhalese nationalism and Tamil Eelam nationalism are painfully intertwined. I wonder if the title "When Memory Dies" is an allusion to the fact that Sinhala-Tamil enmity in Sri Lanka is less than a hundred years old and was preceded by about 2500 years when ethnicity did not matter?

I have used this book as an introduction to the contemporary political and cultural history of Sri Lanka for college students who will be studying on the island for the academic year. In some ways, it is a somewhat cynical rendering of the evolution of the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. That is, it is difficult to come away from reading it with much of a sense of hope for the current political situation. But it is precisely the evocation of hopelessness that makes Sivanandan's compelling novel realistic, as unfortunate as that sounds. Idealism, indeed, seems to have little space in Sri Lanka these days. There is much in this novel that educates its readers to the nature of ethnic conflict, class consciousness, caste, family, religion and political identity. I found it a tour de force, a remarkable novel.

I was very pleased to see this book on the shelf, as _Funny Boy_ is one of my favorite books. _Cinnamon Gardens_ is definitely a pleasure, but not in the same league. In fact, a good part of my enjoyment of this later book is probably derived from remembering how much I enjoyed the earlier book--from the feeling, you might say, of having another chance to spend virtual time with the author, whom one can't help liking.

I was disappointed by occasionally stilted prose, and characters whose actions sometimes seem contrived. _Funny Boy_ was smaller in scope--a delightful, fascinating and careful study of a smaller group over a shorter time period--and I felt that in contrast, the author had taken on a bit more than he could deftly handle with _Cinnamon Gardens._ It hopes to be a sweeping multigenerational epic, but I felt that some stories got short shrift; some aspects were rushed through, and some characters seemed undeservedly underdeveloped--a smaller canvas seems better suited to the author's undeniably tremendous talent.

This doesn't mean that the book is not enjoyable--on the contrary I found it pleasant and interesting/informative. But to really see why Selvadurai is so worthy of admiration, and why his many fans will wait for his next book with the greatest anticipation, it's probably a good idea to read this....after you read _Funny Boy_ first.

After reading 'Funny Boy', I was eagerly awaiting Selvadurai's second offering. It is a very well written novel contrary to the reviews I had read. Selvadurai truly has the talent of a good writer. I picked up Funny Boy out of curiosity and events in my personal life and was hooked at his way of narrating a story. The characters of Annulakshmi and Balendran captivated me as much as that of Radha Aunty and Arjie in Funny Boy. I don't if it is just me, but I seemed to have noticed that Selvadurai has a way of emphasing the relationship between the main characters in an Aunt-Nephew role(Radha Aunty-Arjie) or Uncle-Niece role(Balendran-Annulaksmi). The first half of the book dealt with a little too much history, but I think that was necessary to establish the mood of the period. I really liked the way the book ended, however the romantic in me would have preferred a different ending for Annulakshmi's character. All in all, it is a must read. And here's hoping that Selvadurai continues to enthrall readers.

I became interested in Shyam Selvadurai's novels after he came to read at my high school a little while ago. He read from "Funny Boy", and I got so intrigued I went right to the library to pick it up. I had it read in three days. About a month and a half later, I picked up "Cinnamon Gardens"

Selvadurai's novels both deal with Sri Lanka (Ceylon during the 20s), politics, and the social constraints of Asian society. I've read a lot of books, but for some reason, Selvadurai's strike me as the most honest.

It's so refreshing to read a novel in which nobody is simply "Good" or "Bad". The people are real, rounded characters with dreams and fears, desires and regrets. The prose is written in the third person but there is none of the tiresome self-absorbed banter that often plagues novels about serious issues such as homosexuality, self-government, and women's rights. Reading Selvadurai's prose, you feel as though you are experiencing events, not being told that they are occurring.

I actually found "Cinnamon Gardens" more enjoyable than "Funny Boy" if only because it was a continuous novel, allowing for more character development than the six short stories in "Funny Boy". Somehow, with his plain style, Selvadurai made the characters real. I found myself sympathizing with them right from the very beginning.

It's too bad the book was double spaced and in large font, because I could have read a thousand pages of this novel and still felt like it was too short.

I can't wait until Mr. Selvadurai's next novel is finished. He told us it would be set in Toronto, which promises a very interesting perspective.

A real achievement.

The writer for Culture Shock! Sri Lanka appeared to be very familiar with the country. I am married to a Sinhalese and before we traveled to the country for my first visit, I shared selections from the book with my husband. He was pleasantly surprised that the information was fairly accurate. I referred to the book often during my travels and found it very helpful and right on point.

This guide is better than most. Lots of useful information about cultural differences. It does not contain much tourist information though so it is best used together with a more detailed guide.

As suggested in the earlier review this is an engaging novel of relationships set in a Sri Lankan commmunity within Australia. The plot of the story is set in motion by an Indian couple's daughter's announcement that she is a lesbian. The novel breezes through the resulting situations with a brittle, amusing tone. The novel treats most of its characters sympathetically but perhaps moves too briefly through the complicated emotional terrain it creates. Even so, the tight, precise writing is a dream to read and keeps the reader focused and involved until the very last page.

Wickremesekera is an Australian originally from Sri Lanka who is a promising writer and one worth watching and supporting.

"Walls: a novel about a Sri Lankan Family in Australia" by Channa Wickremesekera is the story of a Sri Lankan family, the Abeywickremes, who migrate to Australia to escape the uncertainities of their homeland and ensure a bright future for their only daughter, only to find that their daughter has turned lesbian! This crisis provides the theme for a wonderfully funny and poignant little novel about two South Asian parents struggling to handle the conflict between their love for their daughter and their own prejudices, all brought into sharp focus by their situation as Asian migrants in a Western society.

The great strength of the novel is its humour and how it deals with deep seated prejudices in a satirical way. The Abeywickremes, who are sinhalese, hates Tamils but are delighted that their daughter is dating a white boy (before she turned lesbian, of course!) and when the daughter runs away to Africa with her lesbian lover, their first concern is whether the lover is African! Abeywickreme's neighbour, an Australian plumber called Andy, often gets into arguments about culture with one of Abeywickreme's friends who silences the Aussie by saying that he would never understand culture because the only people in Australia who could have understood culture - the Aborigines - were killed off by the Whites. "That is the great beauty of the slaughter of the aborigines" reflects Abeywickreme. "You could always make Andy shut up by mentioning it!" The lesbian daughter is also treated with sympathy by the authior which is another positive aspect.

The major weakness of the book is its brevity which does not allow for much character development. The daughter exists only as an agent that introduces the lesbian theme to the story while some other characters from the Sri Lankan community in Melbourne appear more like caricatures. Yet despite these weaknesses it is a great read and a very promising start for the writer.

...The recent wave of South Asian writing hasn't been restricted to the
Indian subcontinent. Sri Lanka, too, has recently contributed its share
of gifted storytellers (most notably Romesh Gunesekera and Shyam
Selvadurai). Alas, this first novel from Karen Roberts, who was born in
Sri Lanka and now lives in California, suffers from some of the
weaknesses of the region's more overwrought fiction. In terms of plot,
''The Flower Boy'' resembles Arundhati Roy's shimmering novel ''The God
of Small Things''; the story revolves around the sheltered world of two
precocious children in Ceylon in the 1930's. On a remote tea plantation
called Glencairn, Chandi, the son of the housekeeper, and Rose-Lizzie,
the daughter of the English planter, grow inseparable despite their
extremely different circumstances. Their idyllic friendship, however, is
tested by tumultuous events both within Glencairn and without: the death
of Chandi's sister, Rangi; a complicated romance between Chandi's mother,
Premawathi, and Rose-Lizzie's father, John (their lovemaking is ''not
born of mutual love, but of mutual fear''); the distant echoes of the
world war across the seas; and, finally, the rumblings of self-rule
coming from Colombo, the capital city. The illusions of happiness and
transcendence -- for both families -- at Glencairn will be fleeting. ''We
belong in separate worlds,'' Premawathi tells John. ''The time we have
spent together here, it's not real. It's not permanent. It's only
borrowed.'' Unfortunately, like the old estate itself, Roberts's novel
can feel creaky, and the her characters too often seem more wooden than

real.

All you people who gave this book 4 stars and more...and likened it to "The God of Small Things"......obviously haven't read much quality literature.

I found this book quite readable.I didn't hate it..but I certainly wouldn't put in in the same category as 'The God of Small Things". It started off quite well, but dwindled into nothing more than soap-opera set in the tropics.

Unlike 'The God of Small Things"...or even "Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard"...the characters in this story had no depth...and were quite wooden.

Nothing but a mere romance novel...set in an usual setting.

What a treat it is to read a book and really resent getting to the end! Karen Roberts has written a little gem, and we await her next work with great anticipation.(and hope,against hope, that she will deal with the same characters) The story is a touching one of friendship and family love - a friendship that crosses all boundaries, and family love that is as volatile and enriching as any we have experienced. I don't like to use the word "sweet" in any review, but that is what- in the most positive sense- describes this first effort by Ms. Roberts. May she pen many more for our enjoyment!

I could recommend this slim volume as a nearly perfect Valentine's Day gift based almost on the attractive appearance and reasonable price, alone. The content has merit as well, and I'm basically glad I read it. As I look at the reviews above, I find I agree with all of them- both the positive and the negative: they say the same things. Ondaatje hasn't written verse for fourteen years, devoting himself mostly to well-crafted prose fiction, and it shows. He has good control of topic and theme, an eye for detail and incident, and a very sensual command of the language. Any verse-craft is not at all in evidence- but it's easy reading in any case, so it is as much as most people may care.

If you long for the words that take hold of your heart, and won't let go, listen to Ondaatje's music. In this book of verse set in exotic Sri Lanka, the images are sensuous, intoxicating,and transporting. His writing is simply beautiful . For the uninitiated, and those with a romantic heart's longing, do not miss this collection by one of today's finest writers.

Michael Ondaatje is a major poet. There are no two words about it. He brings his poetic vision and unique signature of lyricism again to words with his latest collection of poetry, 'Handwriting'. This is Ondaatje's latest book of poetry since The Cinnamon Peeler published in 1991.

'Handwriting' contains a collection of well-crafted poems reminding us that Ondaatje is undoubtedly among one of the best living poets today.

Most of the poems of this excellent anthology are set in Sri Lanka. Some images and references crafted by Ondaatje comes from Sri Lanka where he has ancestral roots. Similar to his classic novel, 'Anil's Ghost' Ondaatje demonstrates his intimate knowledge of the history, art, friends and recent events of Sri Lanka in this collection of poems.

For me, there is also a very personal appeal to the poems in this collection. As a person who grew up in Sri Lanka, I am familiar with places and historical references he brings into his works in 'Handwriting'. However, anyone without any knowledge of Sri Lanka could also understand and appreciate Ondaatje's poems as they have a universal appeal despite the fact he leaves the reader with place or location names such as Galapitigala Road, Mahaweli and Kataragama etc. Even when Ondaatje writes on specific locations or on historical facts he writes about life, love, war and death which has a universal appeal to any reader whether they have an understanding of locations, place names or historical nuances appearing here. Even if you don't have a personal knowledge of Sri Lanka's history or its culture you can still appreciate Ondaatje's poems.

Ondaatje is indeed very different to ancient poets of Sri Lanka who "wrote ... on rock and leaf / to celebrate the work of the day, / the shadow pleasures of the night." But we can still read and appreciate these ancient poems centuries after they were written "on rock and leaf". In 'Handwriting', Ondaatje's achieves similar goal; he shares his poetic gift with us like donating a precious gem that we can keep and appreciate as long as we live and pass on to the readers of next generation.