BOOK REVIEWS
Good wine needs no bush
Author: W. T. A. Leslie Fernando
Publisher: International Book House (Pvt) Ltd, 1, Kumaran Rathnam
Road-Colombo 2
Price: Rs. 650
In his inimitable manner W. T. A. Leslie Fernando has launched his
latest work - a semi-autobiographical novel “Dark Clouds Turning Silver”
under the pseudonym Laksiri, depicting his varied career as a man of
many parts with his profound knowledge of men and matters. The English
speaking public in our country is richer by his writing in authentic Sri
Lankan style and setting, that deal with the real typical local
characters.
The chapters in this novel are not feline in the sense they portray
without doubt, the numerous facets of his bold courageous activities of
his career, W. T. A. Leslie Fernando has fulfilled his task of
enchanting or sort of hypnotising the English reader by writing on his
great mission after graduation up to retirement as a High Court Judge.
It is an open sesame, so to say making reference to Arabian Nights
tale-magical or mysterious means of commanding access to what is usually
inaccessible. The chapters therein are also absorbing that a reader
seated in his easy-chair would undoubtedly be made to visualise on the
writer’s career as a graduate teacher in remote schools in God’s
forsaken stations, Pirivena teacher in the vicinity of the Perdeniya
Campus cramming for his LLB as an external candidate, Law College days,
legal practitioner-Advocate practising in the Negombo, Chilaw, Colombo
and Kuliyapitiya Courts etc.
Chapter 1-10 in this novel of novels in English language with a
typical social background in the 1960’s reveal the protagonist’s career
as a teacher in far off Ampara. There he had served students with
devotion.
The first chapter in this thought absorbing book begins with the
protagonist assuming duties as a teacher in Ampara, then the next
chapters deal with his getting a transfer to Polonnaruwa, ill treatment
at the hands of officials, victimisation on some issues, personal
hardships he underwent and so on.
In chapter 15, the reader notes his becoming a teacher at Sri
Sarananda Pirivena, Peradeniya under the benign patronage of Ven.
Siyambalangomowe Gunarathana Nayake Thera, the Director of Pirivena. He
spent four years happily as a teacher with job satisfaction. As if
blessed by the Hindu Goddess of learning ‘Sarasavi’ also known as a ‘Saraswathi’,
the protagonist who got through the LLB Degree externally entered the
Law Collage and passed out as an advocate in 1971.
Thereafter like an up-coming lawyer on both sides of law-civil and
criminal, he made a mark as an assigned counsel at the Negombo Assizes
and later as a lawyer in the High Courts of Negombo and Chilaw. Fate
decreed that he should give up his ambition of dabbling in either the
MEP or the SLFP politics and his chance of getting selected the MP for
Negombo contesting from the latter party ticket.
This versatile gentleman lawyer was also endowed with all the
qualities of entering the judicial service. He applied for and got the
first such appointment as the Magistrate, Nawalapitiya. Of course,
thereafter he functioned with remarkable acceptance, his judicial career
as Magistrate, District Judge and High Court Judge, appreciated by the
Legal profession both official and unofficial, officers of court, police
and even the litigants who appeared before him a judge who administered
justice without fear or favour but tempered same with mercy in the true
Christian Catholic spirit and his grasp of the lofty Dhamma although a
devout Catholic.
From chapter 18, it is an exposition of his capacity in the
magistracy in the stations of Matara, Mawanella and Anuradapura.
Subsequently elaborate descriptions of his position as the District
Judge of Embilipitiya, Bandarawella, Avissawella and Mathugama are
elucidated. His Judicial career ended up as the High Court Judge, Ampara.
The saga of the protagonist’s noteworthy mission in life is covered
in this with 28 chapters. The aphorism “The success behind a man is his
wife” is proved to the very hilt in his great achievements since
marriage. This unique eye-catching labour of love by W. T. A. Leslie
Fernando former High Court Judge would undoubtedly prove a worthy handy
book to all new Judicial officers, Junior lawyers and law students.
Concerning this exhilarating work, it is in consonant with the
well-known English idiom “Good wine needs no bush” which means merit
needs no special attention, or advertisement. The language is lucid and
the novel is written in simple English. Printed on the best glossy paper
available with printers the front cover and the back page are
beautifully displayed. This excellent worth while novel is reasonably
priced at Rs. 650.
- Stanley E. Abeynayake
A different perspective of a JMO
Nihanda Nowe Sakshi
Author Dr. Sarathchandra Kodikara
Publisher: Dayawansa Jayakody and Company
Pages 136
Price. Rs 200.
“Nihanda Nowu Sakshi,” is Dr. Kodikara’s debut on his experience
translated into both interesting and useful read to the ordinary reader
as a Judicial Medical Officer and subsequently as consultant Judicial
Medical Officer. There are 12 such interesting anecdotes fully developed
in a short span of four to five pages.
“The mystery uncovered by rats” is such an interesting story about
how the author thanks to his innovative ideas used rats to uncover a
complicated and mysterious murder of a woman killed by her husband.
While the author tells his story he also describes the details of
complex procedures adopted in exhuming a body.
Similarly, the author in all of his 12 stories gives such relevant
general knowledge on forensic science, medicine and criminal law to
educate the reader on various issues that would be useful in curbing
crimes.
The author presents these stories in a dramatic sequence as though a
film is enacted before the eyes of the reader.
The author views the things from outside, objectively allowing the
free judgment of the readers. The language is simple without forcible
insertion of many forensic, medical or legal jargons but some are used
without intruding the flow of the story, in fact these help to widen the
knowledge of the reader in keeping with the author’s main objective,
which is to compensate the death of knowledge on the forensic science.
The simple language, curious topics, all had been successfully
blended to shake the mind of the reader as he proceeds on the stories of
murder and death at the same time making him suspect every human being
to be dark and secretive harbouring criminal intentions to satisfy their
craving for money, wealth and sexual desires.
It should be noted that the two stories are of particular importance
since they lead to new inventions. One of them is of particular
importance as it would save the lives of many.
The author was able to formulate a new hypothesis accepted by many
countries including the US, which would help manage the patients with
pancreas raptures. The other, re-defined the “hanging” which was defined
in terms of a static point, which is no longer suffice to define the
hanging as author’s new discovery; a “mobile hanging device,” which won
recognition at a certain international summit.
Along with these there are a host of other intriguing cases
unravelled by the author, as a judicial medical officer, has carefully
selected among hundreds of autopsies performed by him. Of these some are
very sensitive cases, involving innocent girls and women who are
particularly vulnerable to inequalities of the society.
There is also a host of colour photos depicting various body parts,
the reader finds to the end of the book, which are revealing! The
ordinary reader would find them loathsome, but at the same time he/she
would wonder how difficult it would be looking for microscopic evidence
in the completely rotten bit of flesh oozing with pus.
“The Preface that is not silent,” is an unusual preface in terms of
the length and content because the preface supposed to be short and to
the point as to what or who prompted the work along with thanking the
persons who had helped to make the work a reality.
Although the author does this at the end of his lengthy preface,
while asserting the importance of the role of the forensic expert, he
outright gives summaries of his experience which have some universal
themes such as love and hate, the destiny and money, forming a common
platform, to share with the reader and to be close to him instead of
distancing himself as a forensic expert.
These summaries with universal themes invite the reader to think
further, thus is a good approach to the stories that follow.
In terms of the content and length it should have been preferably
treated as an “Introduction” where it is usually considered as a part of
the main theme, also where the page numbering starts. The lack of a
content page is another difficulty for the reader.
The author is a lecturer at the forensic department of the University
of Peradeniya, and holds degree in medicine from the same University
with a post graduate diploma and doctorate in forensic science from the
University of Colombo. He has also been appointed as a visiting lecturer
to the State University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. He also
functions as the acting consultant judicial medical officer of the
Peradeniya Teaching hospital.
- Wasantha Ramanayake
The quest for a stoic stone
THE PRINCE
Author: Manu Gunasena
Vijitha Yapa Publications, Colombo, 2008
pp. 130
It was, to me, the opportunity of a lifetime. I held in my hands one
of the most beautifully written stories of that meaningful search for
the ultimate treasure that would banish all ignorance, all self, all
suffering and delusion.
I have never read such a passionately-worded story of the making of a
Buddha, the Sakya Gautama, who had neither chart nor map to lead his
steps to renunciation and the light of future stars.
Manu Gunasena has shown us how such a story could rise out of the
pulsing kingdom of a prince who would not remain a prince. I have dipped
into many accounts of this story, but they have always become a parade
of repetition.
The marvellous birth of this singular man among men, his dogged
search for spiritual illumination, the six years of his striving and his
enlightment. It needs so much that is special to tell of it. As you see,
this book consists of 130 pages but every page seems to be so
gem-studded - a flaring record that brings to us the supreme purpose of
the prince’s quest; his determination to achieve liberation from this
cycle of life, death, and rebirth, to enter the timeless state, free of
craving and suffering.
Even as he entered this world, the Udumbara tree put forth its
blooms, telling us that truly had a Buddha been born.
What is particularly enchanting is the magical way Gunasena has
introduced the verses that are so necessary. I must give you extracts:
Pleasures that filled his world with mirth seemed illusory and bare;
If that were sorrow’s iron law
he determined to find the flaw
that stained mankind’s welfare.
He would defy the fates and strive
to transcend life’s inherent strife. * * *
…Now he’d seen death, the final scourge.
The hour had struck to launch his search. * * *
A surge of love for man compelled
him seek the truths concealed. * * *
His quest, he knew, with rising hopes,
lay in the steps of the one in robes * * *
His search couldn’t wait the morrow,
now nothing would intrude:
To stir his will, his pledge fulfill,
renounce the world: the truth distill.
The sheer rhapsody of prose makes this book something very precious
even to me, a non-Buddhist. But will any label, anything I plaster on my
forehead, matter? Even Gunasena tells us that he follows all religions,
for he believes that just as all rivers flow to the sea and merge as one
with the great waters, all the streams of faith, however varied they may
be, must finally unite and merge as one. It is this breath of
understanding and acceptance that adds such glorious rays of light to
the manner in which the book is assembled - and when the prince makes
his final renouncement, we hear his lines:
I go, for my great purpose holds,
to reach for the furthest strands
of human thought; and delve so bold
in unknown realms, undreamt lands
I go to scour that distant shore…
to find why sorrow brands
all life on earth, from birth to birth…
I cannot truly tell of the moving spirit of this book. It weaves a
spell of its own, but above all, one sees a writer for whom faith lies
above all else. It is the sincerity, the passion, a recognition of a
force like no other.
He does not balk in the telling of the great quest. It is a learning
trajectory that makes the unknowable knowable. Gunasena has to be honest
- honest enough to say that even the prince could not do it all alone.
There was the great sage Agasti, and when he came to the ashram, he had
to keep learning:
“First forget everything you have learnt so far. Leave the baggage of
your conditioning at the entrance to this sanctuary and enter in
complete ignorance. Forget everything you know. Only then will you be a
fit receptacle to receive, unfettered, the collected wisdom of the
ages…”
These do not become setbacks, but great strides forward - the rising
of the Kundalini, the higher levels of consciousness, the unfolding of
the lotus of purity, the dazzle of the Third Eye, the finite knowledge
of an infinite world - and he still had to attain the ultimate.
Could starvation to death be the way - that last lap? No, even that
was too extreme. What then? And he began to walk the path between
pleasures and penances, alone, unaided, unguided, all reliance on
himself and came to where the great rivers met…but there only lay at his
feet a placid stream of consciousness: another dimension. It was the
path of all wanting - the Middle Path, and it a majestic junction the
Four Noble Truths bloomed.
And yet, all he asked, even as the gods bowed in reverence around
him, was that each of us be allowed to probe and question the truth of
his teachings and that each follow his own path of liberation.
It is this story - each word a heart throb, that Manu has given us.
One sees the worshipful stance he has taken, the sheer lyricism of his
lines. They pour with a richness that makes us, deep inside, one with
the prince he reveres. Vijitha Yapa Publications has chosen well. This
book must be in the hands of every middle school student, in every
school library, even become a part of the schools’ religious teaching.
It tells us that the crest-gems of faith can be rendered in
scintillating English to also meet the interests of every tourist and
traveller to this land. I offer Manu Gunasena my most sincere
congratulations.
- Carl Muller
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