Colombo: A NovelColombo is in the throes of an explosion. Its face changes continuously, its vices are legion, its future as yet obscure and its paths speak of sunlight as well as of shadow.-' Carl Muller begins his quasi-fictional portrait of this beautiful, war-torn city by describing the great battles fought over it by European colonizers-. In AD 1505, a Portuguese fleet blown off-course took shelter in Galle, overthrew the local kings, fortified Colombo and decided to stay. The Dutch came along, ousted the Portuguese, made Colombo their capital and ruled till the British arrived and sent them packing. Muller intersperses the tales of the past into descriptions of the battles that are being fought in Colombo today"political battles in which vested interests play a major role as well as battles fought on the individual level in the struggle to survive: young women and children turning to prostitution to earn an extra buck, people begging in the streets to make ends meet, unemployed young men turning to crime in frustration, students demonstrating against atrocities, lovers pining for nightfall in order to push away loneliness if only for a few moments... Written in Muller's lucid style, Colombo: A Novel is a chronicle of a city's trials and triumphs. |
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Page 36
... asked , almost shamelessly . Captain Arnold returned . He had shoved a small flag - of - convenience into berth twenty - four . He brought back a leg of pork from the ship's cold rooms . Boat crews wrapped the joint in plastic and ...
... asked , almost shamelessly . Captain Arnold returned . He had shoved a small flag - of - convenience into berth twenty - four . He brought back a leg of pork from the ship's cold rooms . Boat crews wrapped the joint in plastic and ...
Page 185
... asked . ' Went to give blood . For what ? ' She was on her way down too ; transferred to the Ratnapura hospital following the findings of a disciplinary inquiry which was satisfied that her communal feelings had caused much damage in ...
... asked . ' Went to give blood . For what ? ' She was on her way down too ; transferred to the Ratnapura hospital following the findings of a disciplinary inquiry which was satisfied that her communal feelings had caused much damage in ...
Page 390
... asked it they could buy wood and cattle and the postmaster said that that could be arranged . Keeping three sailors to finalize these arrangements , the whaler returned to the ship . The postmaster then led the sailors to the Kalutara ...
... asked it they could buy wood and cattle and the postmaster said that that could be arranged . Keeping three sailors to finalize these arrangements , the whaler returned to the ship . The postmaster then led the sailors to the Kalutara ...
Contents
Under the Umbrella | 3 |
The Leafy Mango Tree | 14 |
Shabby People | 23 |
Copyright | |
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Angelbeck arms asked become began bodies bring British building called carried Ceylon child Church close Colombo coming Company dark door dragged Dutch East established eyes face father fire followed force Fort Galle garden Gate girls give given Governor guns hands harbour head hold hour hundred India island keep kill king knew lake land later letter light live London looked Malays marched mother moved never night officers Pass Pettah police political port Portuguese road seemed ships side Sinhalese Sri Lanka stands station stood Street taken tell thing thought thousand told took trade tree turned wait walk walls watch wife woman