Sri Lanka has produced some incredibly talented writers that have captivated readers around the world. From deeply moving fiction exploring Sri Lanka's complex history, to thrilling mysteries and more, Sri Lankan literature offers something for every book lover.
In this article, we countdown the top 10 must-read books from Sri Lankan authors. We’ll explore what makes each of these books so compelling, as well as provide a comparison table summarizing key information on the top 10. Read on to discover some of the finest works in Sri Lankan literature.
1. Anil’s Ghost by Michael Ondaatje (2000)
Anil’s Ghost by renowned Sri Lankan-Canadian author Michael Ondaatje is a spellbinding novel that revolves around a young Sri Lankan woman named Anil who returns to her homeland as a forensic anthropologist. Set against the backdrop of Sri Lanka’s ruthless civil war, Anil is tasked with identifying a recently discovered skeleton that may be evidence of a murder committed by the government.
Vividly capturing the unique beauty and tragedy of Sri Lanka, Anil’s Ghost explores timeless themes of love, loss, and humanity’s ability to heal the wounds of war. Ondaatje’s lyrical prose earned the book the prestigious Giller Prize and Governor General's Literary Award. It remains one of the finest examples of Ondaatje’s exceptional talent.
2. Saman by Padma Hejmadi (2008)
A touching coming-of-age story, Saman by Padma Hejmadi follows a young boy in colonial Ceylon who longs to experience the wider world beyond his small village. This skillfully crafted novel illuminates universal truths about childhood innocence, familial bonds, and the tensions between tradition and modernity.
With vivid scenic depictions and rich explorations of Ceylon’s culture, Saman transports readers to early 20th century Sri Lanka through the eyes of a boy on the cusp of adulthood. It was awarded the 2008 Gratiaen Prize for creative English writing by a Sri Lankan author.
3. The Legend of Pradeep Mathew by Shehan Karunatilaka (2012)
Part sporting tale and part detective story, The Legend of Pradeep Mathew is a genre-bending novel from Sri Lankan author Shehan Karunatilaka. Narrated by an alcoholic sports writer named W.G. Karunasena, he becomes obsessed with the astonishing talent of the obscure cricketer Pradeep Sivanathan Mathew.
As Karu’s unreliability as a narrator grows, fact and fiction blur in this clever commentary on Sri Lanka’s pettiness towards outlier genius. The originality of the premise and prose earned it the Commonwealth Book Prize in 2012. It’s a must-read for fans of inventive, witty writing.
4. Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje (1982)
Running in the Family is Michael Ondaatje’s poetic memoir about his childhood experiences upon returning home to Sri Lanka in the late 1970s. Fragments of prose, verse, and family lore intermingle to form a dazzling collage of memories that provide an intimate window into Burgher culture in Sri Lanka.
Full of lush imagery, sly humor, and poignant reflections on family, this semi-fictionalized account has become a contemporary classic of Asian literature. It earned Ondaatje his second Governor General's Literary Award for fiction in 1982.
5. The Hungry Ghosts by Shyam Selvadurai (2013)
In his acclaimed 2013 novel The Hungry Ghosts, Shyam Selvadurai crafts a multi-generational saga revolving around the cursed ghost ship that haunts the family’s ancestry. Spanning India, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka, this ambitious work confronts the painful legacies of colonialism and civil war.
With richly drawn characters confronting simmering family secrets, forbidden desire, and racial tensions, Selvadurai beautifully mediates themes of dislocation, cultural hybridity, sexuality, and forgiveness through Buddhist lore about unsatisfied spirits. It’s a haunting examination of the personal costs of prejudice.
6. The Hamilton Case by Michelle de Kretser (2004)
Set in colonial 1930s Ceylon, The Hamilton Case by award-winning writer Michelle de Kretser is a sweeping tale about the public and private costs of racism and xenophobia. When a young British planter is found gruesomely murdered, everyone is a suspect in this riveting page-turner.
Deftly exposing the complex social fabric of 1930s Ceylon through striking prose, Kretser confronts painful questions about Otherness and belonging. This expertly crafted literary mystery offers an illuminating window into Sri Lanka under British rule.
7. Funny Boy by Shyam Selvadurai (1994)
Funny Boy, Shyam Selvadurai’s groundbreaking debut novel explores coming-of-age themes through the eyes of a young gay Tamil boy named Arjie growing up in 1970s and 80s Sri Lanka. As ethnic tensions escalate into civil war, Arjie faces rising hostility and violence as he comes to embrace his identity.
A beautifully rendered portrait of adolescence intersecting with Sri Lanka’s sociopolitical unrest, Funny Boy was a trailblazer for gay literature and postcolonial writing. Deeply moving, revelatory, and pulled from Selvadurai’s own past, Arjie’s story brilliantly captures both a nation and young boy torn between opposing cultural forces.
8. Island of a Thousand Mirrors by Nayomi Munaweera (2012)
Spanning from Sri Lanka’s colonial past to its devastating civil war, Island of a Thousand Mirrors is a sweeping family saga about two sisters bound by blood yet divided by history. Told in hauntingly poetic prose by Nayomi Munaweera, the novel confronts unimaginable violence, loss, and the loved ones trying to endure.
Called “the Great Sri Lankan Novel” by Viet Thanh Nguyen, Island of a Thousand Mirrors offers a searing portrait of ordinary lives torn apart by extraordinary circumstances. Both an ode to a paradise lost and a story of hope’s power to transcend, this shattering work reflects war’s ripple effect across generations.
9. Chinaman by Shehan Karunatilaka (2011)
Hailed as a “crafty and glittering gem of a book” by Jhumpa Lahiri, Chinaman follows veteran Sri Lankan cricket writer W.G. Karunasera on a drunken quest to find the extraordinary spin bowler Pradeep Mathew. Though Mathew’s athletic genius elevated cricket in Sri Lanka, the country seems eager to forget him.
As the witty, unreliable narrator blurs memoir and invention, praising Mathew becomes an act of defiance against prejudice. Chinaman is both a captivating sports epic and powerful statement on Sri Lanka’s treatment of minority heroes in a majority Sinhalese nation.
10. Wave by Sonali Deraniyagala (2013)
In her shattering memoir Wave, Sonali Deraniyagala chronicles losing her entire family in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami which claimed over 230,000 lives across 14 countries. Raw and eloquent, Deraniyagala grapples with overwhelming grief, guilt, and the painful process of rebuilding life amidst profound loss.
Hailed as a “tour de force” by The New York Times, Wave offers a profoundly intimate lens into coping with tragedy and irreparable change. This beautifully written tribute stands as both a personal record and enduring statement on survival and meaning.
Comparison of Top 10 Sri Lankan Must-Reads
| Book | Author | Year | Genre | Key Themes | Awards and Recognition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anil’s Ghost | Michael Ondaatje | 2000 | Novel | Sri Lankan civil war; love, loss, and healing | Governor General's Literary Award, Giller Prize |
| Saman | Padma Hejmadi | 2008 | Coming-of-age novel | Childhood innocence, tradition vs. modernity | Gratiaen Prize |
| The Legend of Pradeep Mathew | Shehan Karunatilaka | 2012 | Sports novel | Genius and prejudice in Sri Lanka | Commonwealth Book Prize |
| Running in the Family | Michael Ondaatje | 1982 | Memoir | Family, culture in Sri Lanka | Governor General's Literary Award |
| The Hungry Ghosts | Shyam Selvadurai | 2013 | Family saga | Colonialism, civil war trauma | Lambda Literary Award finalist |
| The Hamilton Case | Michelle de Kretser | 2004 | Mystery | Racism in 1930s Ceylon | Winner of multiple awards |
| Funny Boy | Shyam Selvadurai | 1994 | Coming-of-age novel | Sexuality, ethnic tensions | Lambda Literary Award, Smith/Connolly Prize |
| Island of a Thousand Mirrors | Nayomi Munaweera | 2012 | Family saga | Civil war’s generational impact | Commonwealth Book Prize for Asia |
| Chinaman | Shehan Karunatilaka | 2011 | Sports novel | Prejudice against minority genius | Commonwealth Book Prize, other awards |
| Wave | Sonali Deraniyagala | 2013 | Memoir | 2004 tsunami tragedy | New York Times Top 10 Book of the Year |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some common themes explored in Sri Lankan literature?
Much of Sri Lankan literature grapples with the country's complex history - particularly British colonialism, ethnic conflict, civil war, and natural disasters. Key themes include cultural hybridity, sexuality, ethnic tensions, childhood innocence, modernity versus tradition, prejudice and genius, loss and healing, and the personal impact of tragedy.
Which Sri Lankan authors have won the most awards & recognition?
Internationally, the most critically acclaimed Sri Lankan authors include Michael Ondaatje, Michelle de Kretser, Romesh Gunesekera, Shyam Selvadurai, and Shehan Karunatilaka. All have won Commonwealth Writers Prizes along with other honors like the Booker Prize, Governor General’s Award, and Gratiaen Prize.
Domestically in Sri Lanka, iconic Sinhala writers like Martin Wickramasinghe have received high literary praise along with Tamil authors like S. Ponnuthurai and Ashokamitran. English language authors like Carl Muller, Anne Abayasekara, Karen Roberts, Vivimarie Vanderpoorten and Prasanna Jayawardena have also achieved notable success.
Who are some up and coming contemporary authors from Sri Lanka worth reading?
Exciting up and coming talents producing Sri Lankan English literature include Vihanga Perera, Masha Fernando, Dilini Lankachandra, Rafat Hamza, and Udaya Kumar. Their innovative short fiction has received acclaim from publications like Granta, Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Commonwealth Short Story Prize anthologies.
In other languages, compelling contemporary authors like Hasini Haputhanthri writing in Sinhala and S. Ramakrishnan working in Tamil signal a new generation bridging past and future in Sri Lankan literature.
What Sri Lankan novel would you recommend as a starter read to someone unfamiliar with the country’s literature?
For readers seeking an accessible entry point into the richness of Sri Lankan literature, excellent places to start include:
