Shyam selvadurai was born in 1965 in colombo, sri lanka. It is nice to see things in the world through the eyes of a small boy named arjie in the beginning of the novel. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading funny boy. Young adult, lgbt, coming of age, south asian literature publisher. Newcomer shyam selvadurais first novel, funny boy, has established him as a talent deserving a place next to some more wellknown sri lankan expatriates. Shyam selvadurais first novel, funny boy won the smithbooksbooks in canada first novel award and the lambda literary award for best gay mens fiction. In the world of his large family, affluent tamils living in colombo, arjie is an oddity, a funny boy who prefers dressing as a. Read funny boy by shyam selvadurai available from rakuten kobo.
It is a deeply moving novel, and these quotes encapsulate that message. You are not alone, it says to the reader, i understand you. Publication date 1996 topics young men fiction, gay men fiction, sri lanka fiction publisher w. Lee funny boy a novel por shyam selvadurai disponible en rakuten kobo. Publication date 1997 topics young men fiction, gay men fiction, sri lanka fiction publisher. I absolutely loved funny boy and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good read. He came to canada with his family at the age of nineteen, and has a bfa from york university in. Shyam selvadurai has brought back from his sri lankan childhood a glittering and wise novel. Discover more authors youll love listening to on audible.
He has a talent for writing beautifully and searingly yet, he never fails to inject a little humourcomic relief to lighten up the mood. A marvelous first novel, about growing up gay in sri lanka, that displays a precociously assured command of structure, pace, and tone. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading. Arjie chelvaratnam is a tamil boy growing up in an extended family in colombo. Funny boy keeps repeating with quiet conviction that the human. Funny boy funny boy audiobook, by shyam selvadurai. When the novel begins, arjie is seven years old, and realizes he enjoys spending more time with his female cousins than his male cousins. Sep, 2012 shyam selvadurai, the canada council writerinresidence for 2012 was born in colombo, sri lanka.
Refreshing, raw, and poignant, funny boy is an exquisitely written, compassionate tale of a boy s comingofage that quietly confounds expectations of love, family, and country as it delivers the powerful message of staying true to ones self no matter the obstacles. This dazzling debut novel portrays a tamil boys bittersweet. The childs point of view offers a simple writing style and understanding of the novel, yet the reader is able to uncover complexities revolving around the novel. Bending genre and gender in the best school of all. Funny boy takes as its theme the coming of age of a homosexual young man amidst communal. First published by mcclelland and stewart in september 1994, the novel won the lambda literary award for gay male fiction and the books in canada first novel award. The tale of a tamil boys bittersweet discovery of his own homosexuality amid. Funny boy is a gay young adult novel by shyam selvadurai that recounts the childhood and teenage years of arjie as he discovers he is gay while growing up in sri lanka in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Publication date 1996 topics young men fiction, gay men fiction, sri lanka fiction publisher. D unusual nora boy bedig lone star ranger, the by grey. Shyam selvadurai audio books, best sellers, author bio. An evocative comingofage novel about growing up gay in sri lanka during the tamilsinhalese conflictone of the. A novel in six stories as well as cinnamon gardens.
Barber learning centre and hosted by green college. Shyam selvadurai, the canada council writerinresidence for 2012 was born in colombo, sri lanka. You are not alone, it says to the reader i understand you. Browse shyam selvadurais bestselling audiobooks and newest titles. Selvadurai has written for the canadian television shows many voices and inside voices and contributed to several journals and anthologies. Funny boy is a story about a seven year old boy arjun arjie who goes on to experience not only the ups and downs that accompany the discovery of ones sexuality but also the harsh reality of the real world. An evocative comingofage novel about growing up gay in sri lanka during the tamilsinhalese conflictone of the countrys most turbulent and deadly per.
While in canada, selvadurai came to terms with his homosexuality, and studied at. He is the author of cinnamon gardens and swimming in the monsoon sea, and the editor of an anthology, storywallah. Selvadurai s first novel, funny boy, was nominated for the giller prize and received the w. Funny boy by shyam selvadurai overdrive rakuten overdrive. Funny boy is a comingofage novel by canadian author shyam selvadurai. An evocative comingofage novel about growing up gay in sri lanka during the tamilsinhalese conflictone of the countr. An evocative comingofage novel about growing up gay in sri lanka during the. Shyam selvadurai funny boy and cinnamon gardens youtube. Funny boy keeps repeating with quiet conviction that the human condition can, in spite of everything, be joyful. I found it hard to look her in the eye and she seemed in an unusually gay mood. It won a lambda literary award and the books in canada first novel award and tackles navigating sexuality, class partisanship, and emigration. Born in 1965 in colombo, sri lanka, selvadurais mixed tamilsinhalese family emigrated to canada in 1983. Told by the point of view of arjie, funny boy is not just about the taboo topic of homosexuality in a closeminded society, it is also.
First published in 1994, funny boy by shyam selvadurai won critical acclaim for its portrayal of a young mans coming of age as a gay sri lankan during the civil war crisis. Read funny boy a novel by shyam selvadurai available from rakuten kobo. In shyam selvadurais funny boy, the child narrator draws readers into the characters and problems that we can recognize in any family. Shyam selvadurai is a sri lankancanadian novelist who wrote funny boy 1994, which won the books in canada first novel award, and cinnamon gardens 1998. Selvadurai has written for the canadian television shows many voices and inside voices and contributed to several journals and. In the world of his large family affluent tamils living in colombo, sri lanka arjie is an oddity, a funny boy who prefers dressing as a girl to playing cricket with his brother. Smith books in canada first novel award and the lambda literary award in the us. This is a video i made of quotes from shyam selvadurais funny boy. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Jan 08, 20 this is a video i made of quotes from shyam selvadurai s funny boy. With deft humor and a keen eye, selvadurai, who was born in sri lanka.
First published by mcclelland and stewart in september 1994, the novel won the lambda literary award for gay male fiction and the. He has studied creative writing and theatre, and has a b. A quiet masterpiece gay timesin the world of his large family affluent tamils living in colombo, sri lanka arjie is an oddity, a funny boy who prefers dressing as a girl to playing cricket with his brother. Smith books in canada first novel award and the lambda literary award in the united states. Follow shyam selvadurai and explore their bibliography from s shyam selvadurai author page. In this remarkable debut novel, a boys bittersweet passage to maturity and sexual. The quality of the paper is ok, not so bad and not so good. Refreshing, raw, and poignant, funny boy is an exquisitely written, compassionate tale of a boys comingofage that quietly confounds expectations of love, family, and country as it delivers the powerful message of staying true to ones self no matter the obstacles.
Shyam selvadurairs funny boy analysis english literature essay. Set in sri lanka where selvadurai grew up, funny boy is constructed in the form of six poignant stories about. He has a talent for writing beautifully and searingly yet, he never fails to inject a little humourcomic relief to. Refreshing, raw, and poignant, funny boy is an exquisitely written, compassionate tale of a boys comingofage that quietly confounds expectations of love, family, and country as it delivers the powerful. The childs point of view offers a simple writing style and. He came to canada with his family at the age of nineteen. First published by mcclelland and stewart in september 1994, the novel won the lambda literary award for gay male fiction and the books in canada first novel award set in sri lanka where selvadurai grew up, funny boy is constructed in the form of six poignant stories about a boy coming to age within a wealthy tamil family. Set in sri lanka, the story of arjies complex coming of age takes place amid the political turmoil that led to the 1983 colombo riots. Funny boy ebook por shyam selvadurai 9780062383464. In this remarkable debut novel, a boys bittersweet passage to maturity and sexual awakening is set against escalating p. This dazzling debut novel portrays a tamil boy s bittersweet discovery of his own homosexuality and the intricate, shaded world of adults. Shyam selvadurai was born in colombo, sri lanka, and came to canada with his family at the age of nineteen. Shyam selvadurai born 12 february 1965 is a sri lankan canadian novelist who wrote funny boy 1994, which won the books in canada first novel award, and cinnamon gardens 1998. Funny boy ebook by shyam selvadurai 9780062383464 rakuten.
Funny boy is an exquisitely written, compassionate tale of a boys comingofage that quietly confounds expectations of love, family, and. He currently lives in toronto with his partner andrew champion. The next morning amma and i were like two people who had had a terrible fight the night before. In this remarkable debut novel, a boys bittersweet passage to maturity and sexual awakening is set against escalating political tensions in sri lanka, during the.
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