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
Results 1-3 of 9
Page 29
... Holdenbottle at old Vere's daughter's birthday party and considered her the girl of his dreams despite the tipsy state he was in . Totoboy was popular . He had this knack of sitting at a keyboard , sighting carefully and then breaking ...
... Holdenbottle at old Vere's daughter's birthday party and considered her the girl of his dreams despite the tipsy state he was in . Totoboy was popular . He had this knack of sitting at a keyboard , sighting carefully and then breaking ...
Page 82
... Holdenbottle , a seamstress , had sewn several dresses for Elva and casually informed Totoboy that she knew the da Brea girls , which information was relayed to Sonnaboy who decided to cultivate this situation . F. Sonnaboy's fiancee ...
... Holdenbottle , a seamstress , had sewn several dresses for Elva and casually informed Totoboy that she knew the da Brea girls , which information was relayed to Sonnaboy who decided to cultivate this situation . F. Sonnaboy's fiancee ...
Page 118
... HOLDENBOTTLE and MAVIS JOHANNA 7 . FRUGHTNEIT ( or so it said in the birth certificate which did not explain how Iris became so black ) . MARLA MONIQUE who left home and no record of her subsequent movements exist . 8. RUTHIE RAMONA who ...
... HOLDENBOTTLE and MAVIS JOHANNA 7 . FRUGHTNEIT ( or so it said in the birth certificate which did not explain how Iris became so black ) . MARLA MONIQUE who left home and no record of her subsequent movements exist . 8. RUTHIE RAMONA who ...
Other editions - View all
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