The Jam Fruit TreeWinner of the Gratiean Memorial Prize for the best work in English Literature by a Sri Lankan for 1993 Hilarious, affectionate, candid and moving, this is the story of the Burghers of Sri Lanka... Who are the Burghers? Descended from the Dutch, the Portuguese, the British and other foreigners who arrived in the island-nation of Sri Lanka (and 'mingled' with the local inhabitants), the Burghers often stand out because of their curiously mixed features-grey eyes in an otherwise Dravid face, for instance.... A handsome and guileless people, the Burghers have always lived it up, forever willing to 'put a party'. Carl Muller, a Burgher himself, writes in this quasi-fictional, engaging biography of the lives of his people; they emerge, at the end of his story, as a race of fun-loving, hardy people, much like the jam fruit tree which simply refuses to be contained or destroyed. |
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Page 131
... night into a large trough , large Henough to conduct a naval exercise in . In the backyard , cabbages and leeks grew ... nights and Viva would set off in it each day . A chauffeur would pop in each morning at seven , wearing a big blue ...
... night into a large trough , large Henough to conduct a naval exercise in . In the backyard , cabbages and leeks grew ... nights and Viva would set off in it each day . A chauffeur would pop in each morning at seven , wearing a big blue ...
Page 168
... night and it was all very well for Samson to say whatever came to his brainless head , and if it were not for the iron - rail fence that divided their properties , he would dearly love to dismember Samson and scatter his limbs over ...
... night and it was all very well for Samson to say whatever came to his brainless head , and if it were not for the iron - rail fence that divided their properties , he would dearly love to dismember Samson and scatter his limbs over ...
Page 180
... night , holy night , but when it was discovered that the bottom of the pit contained a batter - like mixture of mud and water , their howls had been pitiful to hear . Inspector Leembruggen of the Bambalapitiya police , who superintended ...
... night , holy night , but when it was discovered that the bottom of the pit contained a batter - like mixture of mud and water , their howls had been pitiful to hear . Inspector Leembruggen of the Bambalapitiya police , who superintended ...
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Common terms and phrases
Anna baby beef Beryl bloody Bloss bottle bring British brothers brought buggers Burgher cake called Carloboy carried Cecilprins child Christmas church Colombo Colontota coming considered course court daughter door drink eggs Elaine Elsie Elva Eric everything eyes face Father fellow Florrie fruit gate gave George getting girl give hand head Iris keep kitchen knew lady Lane Leah legs letter listen live look Lord Mama manner marry Maudiegirl months morning mother moved never never mind nice night nodded Opel Papa poor railway road shouting Sinhalese Sonnaboy sort sure talk tell thing thought told took Totoboy tree turned Viva wait wedding whole wife woman write