Book Reviews/A Writing Journey
Category: Canadian 5 out of 5s
Arjie is a young Tamil boy unsure of his identity in Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo. When racial riots break out in 1983 with the burning and killing of Tamils and their property, Arjie’s life is in danger.
Although this was Selvadrai’s debut novel, its tale has stayed with me more than any other of his more recent novels. To me it’s still his finest work.
This is a collection of short stories written by British Columbian writers. Because Canada has a diverse population, there are tales from Africa, Asia and Europe as well as local stories. The collection contains both fiction and non-fiction and I was proud to include two of my own short stories both set in Tanzania.
Lib, an English nurse, arrives in an Irish village in the 1850s to keep watch over Anna so as to confirm that she doesn’t eat. The child’s fast is driving the faithful on pilgrimages to her house and Lib is suspicious.
This is not only a book about the politics of religion, but blind faith and Lib is determined to get to the bottom of why Anna fasts.
How did this author keep me engrossed in her tale when most of the story is set in Anna O’Donnell’s bedroom? It’s no wonder, this book is beautifully written as well as an intriguing tale.
A Man Booker prize winner, this novel traces Pi Patel’s journey from Pondicherry by sea. His father has brought the animals from the zoo they once owned in the coastal city, but not long into the journey, the boat sinks and Pi and a few of the animals are the only survivors.
While the movie of this book was beautifully filmed with a well chosen cast, it failed to capture the philosophical essence that made the book a memorable read.
Read and Write 
You must be logged in to post a comment.