Running in the Family
'During certain hours, at certain years in our lives, we see ourselves as remnants from the earlier generations that were destroyed... I think all of our lives have been terribly shaped by what went on before us.'
Twenty-five years after leaving his native Sri Lanka for the cool winters of Ontario, a chaotic dream of tropical heat and barking dogs pushes Michael Ondaatje to travel back home and revisit a childhood and a family he never fully understood. Along with his siblings and children, Ondaatje gathers rumours, anecdotes, poems, records and memories to piece together this fragmented portrayal of his family's past, his father's destructive alcoholism and the colourful stories and secrets of ancestors both disgraced and adored throughout centuries of Sri Lankan society.
In an exotic, evocative portrait of the heat, wildlife, sounds and silences of the Sri Lankan landscape, Ondaatje combines vivid recreations of a privileged, eccentric older generation with a deeply personal reconciliatory journey in which he explores his own ghosts, and how his family's extraordinary history continues to influence his life.
Shipping
Please note that orders placed after 2pm on a Saturday will not be processed until the following Tuesday.
Local delivery
If your order is £35 or over and you live within 10 miles of our bookshop, then we offer free local delivery on all orders, just choose this option at the checkout.
Store pickup
You can also choose to pick up your order for FREE from our shop at:
1 Chaldicott Barns
Semley
SP7 9AW
Delivery Enquiries
If you're not sure which delivery option to select, please feel free to contact us at:
Email: anna@thetravelbookcompany.co.uk
Telephone: 01747898247
Opening Hours:
Tuesday: 10am-4pm
Wednesday: 10am-4pm
Thursday: 10am-4pm
Friday: 10am-4pm
Saturday : 10am-2pm
We would be delighted to hear from you so please do drop us a line using the form below or alternatively, give us a call on 01747 898247