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 80
... Elsie discovered Eric's weakness a week before they were married . It all began with the rearrangement of the Station Lane home . Aggie's mauve flower - patterned sofaset had always upset Elsie who declared it to be the stuff of ...
... Elsie discovered Eric's weakness a week before they were married . It all began with the rearrangement of the Station Lane home . Aggie's mauve flower - patterned sofaset had always upset Elsie who declared it to be the stuff of ...
Page 117
... Elsie scowled and told him to go to the devil . Eric never thought he could do it , having been quite clueless about the matter . It had been a problem , this business of procreation . Elsie finally took charge and practically drilled ...
... Elsie scowled and told him to go to the devil . Eric never thought he could do it , having been quite clueless about the matter . It had been a problem , this business of procreation . Elsie finally took charge and practically drilled ...
Page 164
... Elsie had heard enough . She took Beulah by the ear , hauled her out of the classroom and out of the school . Beulah squealed like a stuck pig , but there was no one to stop her being dragged home and slapped and pushed into the kitchen ...
... Elsie had heard enough . She took Beulah by the ear , hauled her out of the classroom and out of the school . Beulah squealed like a stuck pig , but there was no one to stop her being dragged home and slapped and pushed into the kitchen ...
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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