Month: January 2010

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Word Baas



Word Baas, originally uploaded by deshan10.

“If you’ve never seen a cricket match; if you have and it has made you
snore; if you can’t understand why anyone would watch, let alone
obsess over this dull game, then this is the book for you.”
-Excerpt from blurb

“Witty and thought-provoking….well-written and brilliantly sustained…. a clever play on the shifting line between truth and fiction…”
-Gratiaen Award Citation, 2008

You’d never guess it to look at the picture, but this gentleman
has written the most engaging English language novel to come out
of Sri Lanka in a long, long, long time.

Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew by Shehan Karunatilaka will be out in March 2010. Limited edition sample-chapter book out now at Barefoot and the Galle Literary Festival

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Shehan Karunatilaka’s Chinaman



Shehan Karunatilaka’s Chinaman, originally uploaded by deshan10.

Shehan Karunatilaka’s Chinaman

Cleaned-up test picture from the cover shoot for this book:

“In the throes of a debauched party, the great Tony Botham makes WG and Ari Byrd an offer they can’t refuse. Little do they know that acceptance will lead them…
From a military bunker buried below a famous cricket pitch to the home of an assassin and match-fixer. From the murky world of cricketing excess to the convulsions of a failing liver. From uncovering the greatest genius Sri Lanka ever produced to discovering what it did to him.
Chinaman is a comic detective tale and metaphor for Sri Lanka; a nation blessed with many gifts and an uncanny ability to squander them.”
-from blurb

Run to bookshops and buy one from March 2010. A few chapters are being released for the Galle Literary Festival as a limited edition run of 150 booklets. You can buy them at the festival or at Barefoot.

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Ah, Pilawoos



Ah, Pilawoos, originally uploaded by deshan10.

The late-night, post-party palace of street food. This place has served generations of grateful drunk Lankans. You drive up, place you order (cheese kottu and iced milo, if you’re a pro) and they bring the food to your car or, if space will allow, set up a table and chairs on the pavement for you.

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Doorframe, Mulkirigala



Doorframe, Mulkirigala, originally uploaded by deshan10.

Since the 2nd century BC, the caves in Mulkirigala rock have been the site of a Buddhist monastery.
According to the Mahavamsa, the monastery was initiated by king Saddhatissa and has, over time and under various kings, been added to and modified.
The 300m rock is about 20km inland from the beach town of Tangalle, in the south of Sri Lanka.
The caves feature an interesting snapshot of Sri Lankan art, from rock inscriptions in Brahmin script all the way to ceiling paintings from the 1930s.

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Mulkirigala



Mulkirigala, originally uploaded by deshan10.

TAGS: 2nd century BC, caves, Mulkirigala, rock, Buddhist monastery, Mahavamsa, king Saddhatissa, Tangalle, srilanka, hambantota, painting, religion, buddhism, colour, kandyan, temple, steps, stairway, stairs, mountain, tiles, roof

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Happy Birthday, John Kelley



Happy Birthday, John Kelley, originally uploaded by deshan10.

John was one of the pioneering West Coast DJs involved in the
early days of the LA Moontribe party scene. His hybrid cocktail of
breakbeat trance made him a bit of a legend and from then on,
America was his playground.

His most recent album, A Night In The Park was praised as
a “stellar artist debut” by Crystal Method. Yes, Mr.Kelley
is that good. Currently he’s involved in a sound design
company (www.slaqr.com) and is seen here being remarkably
tolerant of an over-enthusiastic photographer who leaped at him
at dawn.