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ratings: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Genre: History / Women's Studies / Political Science / Sri Lankan Studies

Book Review:
Casting Pearls is a fascinating and essential book that recovers a forgotten chapter of Sri Lankan history: the struggle for women's right to vote. Written by two of the country's most respected feminist scholars, Malathi de Alwis and Kumari Jayawardena, this book takes us back to the 1920s and 30s, a time of political excitement and social ferment. It was an era when Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan could declare, without irony, that giving women the vote was like ''casting pearls before swine.'' In response, a remarkable group of women from all ethnic backgrounds came together to form the Women's Franchise Union. The book introduces us to these pioneers—Lady Daisy Bandaranaike, Dr. Nalammala Satyavagishwara Aiyar, Florida Wijeyekoon, Agnes de Silva, Dr. Mary Rutnam, Nellie Gunasekera, and Leelavati Aserappa—and shows how they fought for basic democratic rights: to vote, to contest elections, to sit in the legislature. They faced absurd opposition but also found allies among progressive men. By 1932, two women had become State Councillors. Manel Tampoe calls this book ''eminently readable,'' and she's right. It's not just for specialists; it's for anyone interested in democracy, justice, and the long fight for equality. A vital addition to any collection on Sri Lankan history or women's studies.