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. |
From inside the book
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Page 28
... British , French , German and God knows what else . The Schumachers will stoutly uphold that there never was a shoemaker in the family tree . The Van der Pootens don't know if this was originally a dirty word . There are the Almeidas ...
... British , French , German and God knows what else . The Schumachers will stoutly uphold that there never was a shoemaker in the family tree . The Van der Pootens don't know if this was originally a dirty word . There are the Almeidas ...
Page 172
... British education ' that made every student in the island more familiar with the glory of being British and the British culture , arts and letters than of what Ceylon held for him or her . Scant heed was paid to the island's history ...
... British education ' that made every student in the island more familiar with the glory of being British and the British culture , arts and letters than of what Ceylon held for him or her . Scant heed was paid to the island's history ...
Page 175
... British and Scottish owners : Glenloch , Abercrombie , MacLaughlin , Brookside , Hatton ( after Hatton Gardens ) , Great Western , Glenfinnan , Doone . Also , in perpetuating the old , staid and proper way of British life , British ...
... British and Scottish owners : Glenloch , Abercrombie , MacLaughlin , Brookside , Hatton ( after Hatton Gardens ) , Great Western , Glenfinnan , Doone . Also , in perpetuating the old , staid and proper way of British life , British ...
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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