Upon a Sleepless Isle

‘For its assured story-telling, keen observation, dry humour and sensitive navigation of complex and difficult truths; its effortless intertwining of fact and fable, history and anecdote in a rich tapestry of characters; for its incisive yet empathetic exploration of the ethos of a multicultural people grappling with its post-war realities, religious tensions and deep ethnic binds; a literary work that is both engaging and judicious in its descriptive writing of place, its tracing of the cartographies of memory and landscape, combining and creating a multitude of narrative pathways through a rich terrain of material. For its presentation of a nuanced and insightful reflection of the cultural, political and historical context of a country through the medium of a contemporary traveller’s tale, the Gratiaen Prize 2019 is awarded to Upon A Sleepless Isle by Andrew Fidel Fernando’ Gratiaen Prize Citation

‘A hilarious, nuanced and elegant work that grapples with Sri Lanka’s complexities, and celebrates its beauty’ Shehan Karunatilaka, author of the Booker Prize-winning The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida

‘Utterly engaging, wickedly funny, and quite heroic’ Business Standard

‘Unpredictable, hilarious, and informative’ Daily Mirror

‘Full of vivid descriptions ... engaging and entertaining’ Hindustan Times

‘A sincere and original work by an intelligent observer with a keen sense of place’ Mint Lounge

‘A heartfelt, compelling read’ Outlook Traveller

‘A compelling capture of Sri Lanka’s irrepressible character and a textured patina of life, love and loss’ Sunday Island

‘A book modern Sri Lanka needed’ The Critic