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Ajay Kamalakaran
โน 599
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Binding
Paperback
Number of Pages
312
Age Group
All
Language
English
Book Summary
This non-fiction, historical travel narrative examines Colombo as a pivotal port that linked East and West during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It reveals how the city functioned as the last stop before the long voyage to Australia and as a major hub for coal, supplies, and reloadingโsitings that made it a crossroads of empire, commerce, and culture. The intended readers are history enthusiasts, travelers curious about global networks, and anyone interested in social history and imperial-era dynamics. The tone is reflective and informative, with a touch of nostalgia for an era of luxury hotels and refined social rituals.
Delicately narrated, the book gathers impressions from renowned visitors who paused in Colombo, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Don Bradman, Anton Chekhov, Mark Twain, and Mahatma Gandhi, among others. It uses these voices to weave a portrait of a city at the crossroads of empire, while also serving as a social document that reveals racial hierarchies and imperial attitudes of the era. The writing evokes the eraโs glamour and travel culture while inviting readers to consider how such moments shaped global history.
Presented as accessible, story-led vignettes, the content blends historical context with personal observation. Readers move through time as each chapter centers on a different visitorโs stay and the portโs daily rhythms, from ship arrivals to the rhythms of luxury and social ceremony. The narrative makes complex history approachable by connecting grand themesโtrade, empire, and cultural exchangeโwith tangible, human moments.
What readers gain after finishing is a nuanced understanding of Colomboโs place in world history, plus a deeper appreciation for how travel narratives shape memory and identity. The book invites curiosity about Sri Lankaโs enduring cultural heritage and its connections to global history, offering perspectives that linger long after the final page.
Product Details
Author
Ajay Kamalakaran
Publisher
Penguin Random House
Number of Pages
312
Language
English
SKU
9780143469315
ISBN
9780143469315
Reading Age
All
Dimensions
21.6x13.5x1.43cm
Binding
Paperback
โน 599