Book Review - Chinaman

Where in the world is Pradeep Mathew?
An ambitious, inventive, must-read new novel from Sri Lanka

There are at least two types of book readers. (I refer to the people who read books and not those new-fangled devices.) The first type read their books in one go, rarely pausing for rumination, reflection or any handwork with pencils or highlighters. If at all, they reflect on the book after they're done reading.

Then there is the rare type - those who cannot read a book without obliterating it with dog ears, notes in the margin, underlined passages and bookmarks. They convert the reading experience into a process. Perhaps they even stop every few minutes to tweet out interesting lines.










































If you are one of the latter, you will take days to get through young Sri Lankan author Shehan Karunatilaka's Chinaman. That is even if you really want to finish this brilliant book as quickly as you possibly can. With clever lines on every page, Chinaman is the most tweetable book I've ever read.

In hindsight it appears to me as if Karunatilaka wrote the book with a checklist in his mind: "That's one more page done. Do we have a joke? Check. A brutal dig at cricket? Check. An irreverent swipe at Sri Lankan culture? Check."

A superb work of fiction blended with non-fiction that makes you sit up night after night reading it? Double check.

Chinaman is, mostly, the story of a Sri Lankan journalist's hunt for a long-forgotten, and fictional, Sri Lankan cricket player called Pradeep Mathew. Mathew has a brief, meteoric cricketing career in the late 80s and early 90s that sees him achieve superhuman bowling records. But he vanishes as quickly as he appeared.

As the curious, and increasingly obsessive, journalist, Karunasena, begins to peel back the layers of Mathew's life he realises something is amiss. Mathew has vanished not just from the cricketing scene, it appears he has ceased to exist. His existence has even been expunged from the record books. And there is something disturbingly Orwellian about it all.

Yet Karunatilaka's book is equally about Karunasena. I wish I knew more about the author to see how self-referential this character is. Or maybe they just share Karunas. But the character of the 64-year old journalist is a wonderful device to place the topic of Sri Lankan cricket within the larger themes provided by Sri Lankan society and history.

So on the one hand there is the obsessed, alcoholic journalist, well into the twilight of his career, going in search of a human mirage. But on the other there is the very real world that this journalist occupies. One of his friends is a diplomat who may have an ugly secret that involves little boys. Yet another is a member of Sri Lanka's Burgher minority, who is as obsessed with cricket as Karunasena is. And somewhere in the final third of the book a bomb explodes at a train station. It happens casually, the death toll described as if in an afterthought.

Most of all Chinaman is a book about cricket. Karunatilaka has crafted a thinly veiled version of modern cricket, complete with reviled commentators, horny cricketers, loose women and big, bad money.

Did I say the veil was thin? I meant to say it is almost transparent. One of the book's minor characters is the Turbanned Indian Commentator. Mentioned frequently enough so that after a while he is just referred to as TIC. Earlier in the book there is a beefy English cricketer, whose idea for a documentary is what really kicks off the hunt for Pradeep Mathew. His name is, but of course, Tony Botham.

Karunatilaka skewers cricketers old, new, good and bad, all in style. And with prose that is infectious. Once you get past the first 50 pages, which are the slowest but not by much, the book is - no cliché intended - unputdownable. The mysteries of Pradeep Mathew, combined with the brutal dissection of cricket and the delicious morsels of cricketing trivia come together to form one of the strongest, most immersive plots in a sports novel, or indeed any novel, I have read in a long time.

The book is not without its gimmicks. There are a few towards the end that are particularly laboured. And there are a few occasions where the dialogues seem too smart by half. But all good innings have room for a few hoicks over slip. And Chinaman is a Test match-winning innings-at-the-death watch-over-and-over-on-Youtube kind of a book.

At least one commentator has called Chinaman the first great Sri Lankan novel. Perhaps it is. It certainly is a superb novel. For all cricket fans, especially those from the subcontinent, it is a compulsory addition to their library.

And if you can't stand cricket, this is still a book well worth reading. For sheer scope, ambition and inventiveness. Karunatilaka has smashed this out of the park.

Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew
by Shehan Karunatilaka
Random House
Currently available in Sri Lanka and online. An Indian edition of this book, due out in January 2011, will be available across the subcontinent

Horton Plains Slender Loris pictured for first time

This cute furry primate is the first of its species to ever be photographed.

One of the world’s rarest primates driven to the brink of extinction by Britain's taste for tea has been photographed for the first time, scientists said.

The Horton Plains slender loris has been so elusive for more than 60 years scientists believed the wide-eyed mammal had become extinct.

It had only been seen four times since 1937 but was fleetingly spotted in 2002 by researchers who identified it by the reflection of a light shone in its eyes.

Experts believe the prime reason for its rarity was due to the loss of its natural forest habitat largely destroyed by the drive to create tea plantations.

Now scientists from the Zoological Society of London's (ZSL) edge of existence programme have managed to capture the world's first pictures of the rare animal during research aimed at quantifying how many species remain in the wild.

The picture of the endangered mammal shows an adult male Horton Plains slender loris, characterised by short limbs and long dense fur, sitting on a forest branch.

It was captured after more than 1,000 night time surveys in Sri Lankan forests taken during 200 hours of painstaking work.

The team not only took pictures of the animal but also captured three live specimens long enough to measure them.

"We are thrilled to have captured the first ever photographs and prove its continued existence - especially after its 65-year disappearing act,” said Dr Craig Turner, a ZSL conservation biologist.

Slender lorises, officially known as Loris tardigradus nycticeboides, are small nocturnal primates which are only found in the tropical forests of southern India and Sri Lanka.

They are about 6-10 inches long (15cm-25cm) and have large saucer-like eyes which help their night-time hunting.

Estimates suggest there are just 100 of the endangered creatures left in the wild, putting it among the world's top five most threatened primates.

But researchers admitted that so little was known about them that numbers could in fact be below 60, which would make them one of the rarest breeds in the world.

Comparing cricket with baseball is a good way to start a spat

Harold Pinter, the late English Nobel Prize-winning playwright, espoused the pleasures of cricket when he said: "I tend to believe that cricket is the greatest thing that God ever created on earth. Certainly greater than sex, although sex isn't too bad either. Anyway, you can either have sex before cricket or after cricket. The fundamental fact is that cricket must be there at the centre of things."

BRITAIN and America are divided, not just by a common language, but also by their passion for summer ball games. The English dismiss baseball as a barbarous mutant form of rounders, a kids’ game; Americans regard cricket as a crazed English joke. Matthew Engel, a cricket writer, notes that “It is less contentious to write about religion or politics than the origins of these two games.”

Early in the 20th century Albert Spalding, an American sporting-goods manufacturer, insisted that baseball had been invented in Cooperstown, New York, in 1839 by a young soldier called Abner Doubleday who would be promoted to major-general during the American civil war. Baseball’s Hall of Fame was opened in Cooperstown when a misshapen leather ball found in the attic of a house near the town in 1934 was heralded as the ball originally used by Doubleday. This was always an unlikely tale, and Spalding’s papers, which are now housed in Cooperstown, expose his claims as a fabrication.

The true origins of both games are to be found in “Swinging Away: How Cricket and Baseball Connect”, a new exhibition for which the curator, Beth Hise, has written an exemplary catalogue. This cornucopia of bats and balls, uniforms (belonging to England’s Andrew Flintoff and the Yankees’ Derek Jeter), photographs and memorabilia has opened at the Marylebone Cricket Club’s museum at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London and will move on to the Hall of Fame.

It is based on the revisionist notion that the two games have much in common. Both are rooted in English folk traditions, and each is based on a contest between the pitcher and the batter in baseball and the bowler and the batsman in cricket. Referees are called umpires in both. “I see them as blood brothers, separated at birth but genetically linked,” writes Mr Engel in the catalogue’s introduction.

The first handwritten reference to baseball is to be found in a copy of a diary written in Shere, Surrey, on Easter Monday in 1755: “After Dinner Went to Miss Jeale’s to play at Base Ball…” (The original diary turned up after the exhibition opened.) Four years earlier, a team of London cricketers had already played a cricket team from New York, for a considerable wager, and between 1840 and 1855 cricket was America’s leading ball game. The first international cricket match was played between the United States and Canada in 1844. (Canada won.)

Baseball became pre-eminent during and after the civil war. Ms Hise suggests that the key to popularising it was the abolition of the rule that a fielder could eliminate a batter by catching the ball after one bounce. To catch the ball on the fly was considered more “manly” and “scientific”, making baseball less a game for women and children. The system of box scoring was invented by an Englishman named Henry Chadwick, and many of the first professional players were from immigrant English families who could play both cricket and baseball.

By 1900, though, the two games had become completely distinct. When Babe Ruth (pictured) and Sir Donald Bradman, the greatest of all batters and batsmen, were introduced in 1932, it was not a meeting of minds: “You mean to tell me you don’t have to run when you hit the ball?” said Ruth, who was known as the Sultan of Swat.

In recent decades baseball has been more confident about the way it is organised than cricket, which experiments with new forms of the game intended to popularise it, by speeding it up. In the traditional format, games last four or five days and can end in a draw. Twenty20 is the latest of these innovations. The two teams each bat for 20 six-ball overs and the emphasis is on heavy-hitting. This form of the game has become very popular in the subcontinent, where the Indian Premier League is a major television spectacle, paying cricketers unheard-of sums to play in a short period in the spring. The attraction of Twenty20 is that games take about three hours to complete and there is no such thing as a draw. In fact, Twenty20 is not unlike baseball. Indeed, it is perfectly plausible that cricketers and baseball players will become ambidextrous again, swinging between the two games, as they sometimes did in the 19th century.

Brian Lara looks on as golf star Ernie Els has a go at cricket ahead of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, Bermuda, October 18, 2010

Diplomatic games over CWG 2018

No one but suspicious Australians are talking about it but China could be the ace up Sri Lanka’s sleeve in its bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games (CWG). The town of Hambantota, some 260 km south of Colombo, and Australia’s Gold Coast paid 60000 pounds and picked up the bidding documents for CWG
2018 earlier this year. The final bids have to be submitted by May 30, 2011 and the winner will be announced in on November 11 next year.

``We will put up a fighting challenge (against Gold Coast). Things are moving,’’ Keheliya Rambukwella, minister of mass media, told HT.

It would have to start moving fast because at present the hot, arid town only has an under-construction cricket stadium to talk of as sports infrastructure.

The beginning hasn’t been great. A plan to put up a stall at Ashok hotel in New Delhi to publicise the bid during the New Delhi games fell through because of lack of preparation.

But one advantage the town has that it is in President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s home district and he has grand plans to transform it into Lanka’s biggest city after Colombo.

The town is gradually rebuilding after the 2004 tsunami devastated it, killing nearly 6,000 people living there.

To my question whether Colombo will ask Beijing to chip in with building sports infrastructure in the town, Rambukwella said the help of all ``our friends will be solicited’’ for putting up the infrastructure.

With Beijing-Colombo current relations more snug than ever, China could even use its influence, say over African countries, to ensure that Sri Lanka wins the bid. And it is expected that if Hambantota wins, China will then gladly step in with its decades-long experience in ``stadium diplomacy’’.

It is already currently Sri Lanka’s largest donor and is building a $ 1.5 billion port on Hambantota’s coast.

China also helped Sri Lanka with arms and ammunition during the civil war without asking questions.

China has been building `friendship stadium’ across Africa; even a few cricket stadiums in the West Indies were built by Chinese companies. Since 2000, China has either built or is building at least 30 stadiums in African countries like Angola, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, Togo and Congo.

No one is more acutely aware of China’s deep pockets and the quiet diplomatic influence it might wield in favour of Sri Lanka than Australian officials like Gold Coast mayor Ron Clarke.

``China is supporting them and China has got lots of money to build new facilities…So if they want to call in their charge, then no matter how it appears on the surface, that would have an influence on votes (to decide the bid winner),’’ Clarke told the Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday.

``We’re respecting their bid – there’s always that question about what does that Chinese investment mean for the bid, but no one has answers to those questions,’’ Mark Peters, Gold Coast bid chief executive told the newspaper.

An email query to the Chinese embassy in Colombo about Beijing’s help for Sri Lanka’s bid didn’t get a response.

``Chinese companies could easily build 15 stadiums and the games village in Hambantota,’’ National Olympic Committee president Hemasiri Fernando said, adding that at least 30 to 40 stadiums and training venues would be required to host the games.

Employees of two Chinese companies – China Harbour Engineering Company and Sino-Hydro Corporation -- are stationed in the town to build the port. Which also means construction equipment needed for big projects is already available there.

The `Hambantota 2018’ website says the town is in the ``grip’’ of a massive development. With China’s hold over developments in the region, it can afford to claim so.

Readers' comments
Readers have commented on this article

james kumar 1 day ago

the problem in sinhala-srilanka is the sinhalese are the majority on that strength they know

they can do whatever they want ,at the end of the day whatever comes to the parlimentit will be

out voted by the racist (all the sinhala politicians are anti-tamil ranil,mangala all included)sinhala politicians in their favour.

that is why most of the time they talk through their back side.

my fellow tamils of eelam and the great tamil-nadu breathern the only way to beat sinhalese is that we the

tamils become the majority in ceylon(i can't bring myself to call it srilanka).the name srilanka was introduced

unilaterally by the sinhalese using their majority votes.never did the tamils,muslims or other citizens opinion were sought! (majority rule srilanka as long as it benefits the sinhalese) under the constitution it was illegal if you want to clarify get in touch with that great man,sorry i can't seem to remember his name. he is a sinhalese man doctor by professoin and a human right actvist who lives in australia.

becoming the majority in ceylon is neither easy nor hard in my opinion .we got to start working right now

instead of doing these clever game plese don't wate your time on arguing with the sinhalese they will never change.

because they are being brainwashed with xenophobic ideals and myths from the very young age.

i would like to names few supposed to be oxford educated interlectuals : peiris,athulathmudali and so on

they became more xenophobic after came back from the uk.if these people can behave like this what would you expect from a man who studied in ceylon and come from the deep south where no other languageis spoken or other cultures are practiced!

come on tamils 70 million in tamilnadu 90 million world over thisis our strength! unity is strength what are you waiting for ! i am not advocating anything outside the law .it can be done if we come up with ideas and actions! please start discussing with your friends and neighbours alike spread the word .

finally i would luke to take this opporunityto say hello to ungle anadasangaree ! plese if anyone of you see him convey this message that i would like to hug him when i see him next time!

Rajaratnam 1 day ago

Warning for Sri Lanka

PERFECT SLAVES

“Perfect slaves are those which blissfully and un-awaredly enslave themselves”
By Daniel Taylor

“The ideal tyranny is that which is ignorantly self-administered by its victims.

The most perfect slaves are, therefore, those which blissfully and unawaredly enslave themselves.” – Dresden James

The following are some of the main characteristics of an oppressed society living under tyranny, or progressing towards it.

1. Fear is rampant. “There are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them.” – Andre Gide

The fear may be legitimate, but it may in fact be an illusion created by the ruling powers in order to maintain control.

Fear clouds judgment, and when harnessed, can be used as a tool to cause individuals who are clamoring for protection to beg for their own enslavement.

A large group of individuals under oppression may in fact be afraid of the force of tyrannical governmental power and consciously decide to go along with it.

One recent historical example is of the Nazi Gestapo, who depended on German citizens snitching on their neighbors.

They did this because the number of their employees were not adequate to enforce their power totally.

They ruled by fear, exaggeration of the extent of their power, and depended on individuals to provide information to them who either identified themselves with, or who were afraid of the brutal Nazi regime.

As the old axiom goes, it’s easy to go along to get along.

2. Ignorance. “Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.” – Frederick Douglass

Because of their often corrupt nature, illegal activities and a desire for control, tyrants need to manipulate or restrict access to vital and often embarrassing information from those they are ruling.

Propaganda promotes the desired message to be propagated among the masses.

Restriction of information leads to an ignorant and unaware population which is easily molded.

This ignorance may also come about in a self censoring society that is lazy, bathed in decadence, and has no desire to be aware of information that may make them uncomfortable.

An unaware and uninformed population can be led to believe that they are in fact doing the right thing by enforcing tyrannical laws and supporting corrupt leaders.

They may buy the line that tyrants have sold their people for ages – that out of necessity these things must be done.

In the words of William Pitt, as stated before the House of Commons in 1783, “Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.

It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.”

3. Little men. The propagandists , traitors …

“A little man does not know he is little and is afraid to know… He’s proud of his great generals but not of himself.” – Wilhelm Reich

Yet another group of individuals, who are in no way connected with the existing power structure — who do not respect themselves — often associate themselves with its power, and its leaders.

These individuals believe that life is good as it is, as they are provided with basic necessities and desire in no way shape or form radical change.

Often, an attempt to demonstrate the corrupt and tyrannical nature of their government to them will be met with a quick and angry denial, and at times a passionate defense of their oppressors.

Can you observe any of these trends around you today?

Is western society falling into the depths of tyranny?

james kumar 1 day ago

sinhalese only understand one language that is violence!

has anybody seen uncle anandasangaree ? i want to give him a hug

plese let him know if any of you happn to see him .

and again i saw gothabaya firing in all cylinders in a meeting today

what does he tells his people? is he a good orator ? he doesn't appear to be

and again that bugger was wearing that tie again in that scorching heat .

how does he do it ?

he must be stinking when takes his shirt off! how does his wife puts up with this horrible man?

with all the tamils blood on his hands!

does he have any children? if he has, hope they don't follow in his footsteps

he isn't a good role model is he?

has he given a time frame in which he will kill all the tamils!

i think he is living in a fantasy land !