The Sri Lanka Reader: History, Culture, Politics (The World Readers)
Product ID: 12514303
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The Sri Lanka Reader is a sweeping introduction to the epic history of the island nation located just off the southern tip of India. The island’s recorded history of more than two and a half millennia encompasses waves of immigration from the South Asian subcontinent, the formation of Sinhala Buddhist and Tamil Hindu civilizations, the arrival of Arab Muslim traders, and European colonization by the Portuguese, then the Dutch, and finally the British. Selected texts depict perceptions of the country’s multiple linguistic and religious communities, as well as its political travails after independence in 1948, especially the ethnic violence that recurred from the 1950s until 2009, when the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were defeated by the Sri Lankan government’s armed forces. This wide-ranging anthology covers the aboriginal Veddhas, the earliest known inhabitants of the island; the Kings of Kandy, Sri Lanka’s last indigenous dynasty; twenty-first-century women who leave the island to work as housemaids in the Middle East; the forty thousand Sri Lankans killed by the tsunami in December 2004; and, through cutting-edge journalism and heart-wrenching poetry, the protracted violence that has scarred the country’s contemporary political history. Along with fifty-four images of paintings, sculptures, and architecture, The Sri Lanka Reader includes more than ninety classic and contemporary texts written by Sri Lankans and foreigners. Review: Not light reading, but a comprehensive view of this country's history, culture, and present - If you want to deeply understand this country, which was formerly called Ceylon, this is the book. There are not a lot of choices that are this in-depth. It covers the period before colonialization, the separate colonializations by different European powers and how outsiders actively attempted to draw divisions among the religious groups, freedom, the economy in the past and economy and politics now. It is not written like a textbook, which would result in one point of view, but rather 102 short 2-8 page essays by different people from many points of view. For nearly every topic, there are 3 to 5 different essays, giving a broad understanding. Review: All about Sri Lamka - good
| Best Sellers Rank | #666,244 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #420 in India History #696 in Human Geography (Books) #20,786 in Travel (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 17 Reviews |
C**N
Not light reading, but a comprehensive view of this country's history, culture, and present
If you want to deeply understand this country, which was formerly called Ceylon, this is the book. There are not a lot of choices that are this in-depth. It covers the period before colonialization, the separate colonializations by different European powers and how outsiders actively attempted to draw divisions among the religious groups, freedom, the economy in the past and economy and politics now. It is not written like a textbook, which would result in one point of view, but rather 102 short 2-8 page essays by different people from many points of view. For nearly every topic, there are 3 to 5 different essays, giving a broad understanding.
Y**M
All about Sri Lamka
good
B**M
Not just for academics
Blurbs recommend this book to scholars, but that's missing a mark: this book was *excellent* preparation for this non-academic's travels in Sri Lanka. It that helped me have a much deeper appreciation of this beautiful and complex country. With a better understanding historical context for the ancient cities, the colonial influence in everything from agriculture to infrastructure, the troubles of the civil war- I could look with more open eyes at the places around me, and more compassion for the people we met. The only problem I had with this book: it's a hefty tome, and I had to get it mailed to Malaysia! Hopefully travelers abroad can easily download a digital edition in the future, this book can only benefit readers (and Sri Lanka!) by being more readily accessible.
M**N
Read it before you go
Very interesting background for a trip to this lovely destination.
J**N
Got me through Geography 2010
This was the primary source for my final project in my college geography class.
I**R
Highly recommend it!
Superior introduction to Sri Lanka's long and complex and often tragic history! A well-balanced selection of key texts including historical reports, socio-political analyses, excerpts of literary texts, inscriptions, ancient and modern poetry -- the voices of Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Sinhalese, Tamils, Moors, Malays, Burghers, Portuguese, Dutch, Brits, Indians, and Americans -- "From ancient times" to "Kingship-in-the-making." If you can read only one book about Sri Lanka -- this is it!
C**R
Wonderful review for my business trip
Wonderful review of Sri Lanka for my upcoming business visit. The book is a collection of short essays that are arranged by topic in an easy to understand way. Chock full of useful information.
R**C
Five Stars
Great quality and condition!
M**L
meh..
not the best book.. i dont think i agree with some of the information.. not the best in knowing much about the country...
M**A
Way too much information
I actually decided to return it as there is way to much detailed information for a 'amateur' reader - it's probably more suited for someone who is a historian / academic
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