A novel means a new way of doing a story. If you go back the origins of a novel, 'Clarissa' - that's not a novel; it's just a bunch of letters. But it isn't! Because it's organised in a particular way! A novel is what you make of it. Romesh Gunesekera backbunchclarissa share on social
When I was growing up, I don't think I knew any other child who had been out of Sri Lanka. Romesh Gunesekera childgrowknow Change image and share on social
In the sense that writing is to retrieve the past and stop the passing of time, all writing is about loss. It's not nostalgia in the sense of yearning to bring back the past, but recognition of the erosion of things as you live. Romesh Gunesekera backbringerosion share on social
The old idea that you grow wiser as you get older, and you learn from your elders, is actually completely wrong. Romesh Gunesekera completelyeldergrow Change image and share on social
Writing is incredibly important to me as a way of handling the world, understanding how it works. Romesh Gunesekera handleimportantincredibly Change image and share on social
I was thinking of writers living in East Europe before the Berlin Wall came down. They wrote fantastic stuff but were dealing with a situation that was almost impossible to deal with, but they found a way. Romesh Gunesekera berlindealeast share on social
Sure, cricket on a beach on the isle of Jura is different from a Test match in a stadium in Galle, 6000 miles away, despite the sea air. Romesh Gunesekera airbeachcricket Change image and share on social
You might want to write 'War and Peace,' but that might not be who you are. You might be better off with nursery rhymes. Romesh Gunesekera nurserypeacerhyme Change image and share on social
At 16, I started reading trashy stuff, anything slightly naughty and risque. Romesh Gunesekera naughtyreadrisque Change image and share on social
Imaginative writing, to me, is a way of discovering who we are and what we have to contend with; discovering what is out there and also what is not there. It enables me to think and explore and make something new with language while trying to make sense of our lives. Romesh Gunesekera contenddiscoverenable share on social
