Entertaining the Sri Lankan literati with his unique blend of humorous and pithy writing, author Ashok Ferrey speaks about
The Unmarriageable Man’, his latest tome
Words: Tina Edward Gunawardhana
Photographs: Visual Studios Plus
If ever there was an award for pithy writing, then undoubtedly the worthy winner of that accolade has to be Ashok Ferrey. One of Sri Lanka’s most likeable writers, his novels are laced with an acerbic wit which I would say is his calling card in the literary world. Ashok’s latest book, also his 6th in a writing career that has spanned two decades is The Unmarriageable Man published by Penguin India.
Ashok gravitates towards writing what he knows best, Sri Lankan society. His ability to capture the minutiae of people from all walks of society and to deliver it with such lucidity is what makes his writing interesting. The foibles, the kinks and the peculiarities of his literary characters are all gleaned more often than not from real Colombo persons and transformed into characters that are not only entertaining but beguiling, thus providing an interesting literary snapshot of Sri Lankans both here and abroad.
What motivates you to write?
I began writing at the tender age of 42. I had just brought my father home from the Cancer Hospital in Maharagama, and he collapsed on the bed. I went into the next room and found a pencil and an exercise book. That first story – The Perfect House in Colpetty People – came out in about half an hour flat. I looked at it and thought: What have I done? What have I done? As if I had just committed a murder.
I realised then that writing for me is not a cerebral, planned process, but an organic one. It is not something I am good at or comfortable with: I write because there is an almost physiological need to shed the virus that has built up inside, when the body is no longer able to host it.
