Tab Article

Genre: Politics, History, Current Affairs (Specific to Sri Lanka)
Ratings: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3/5 - as a partisan political account)

Book Review:
''The Wages of Sin'' is a deeply personal and political account of Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict, written from the unique perspective of an insider who was directly involved in the events he describes. S.L. Gunasekara, an attorney and former MP, draws on his nearly three decades of first-hand experience, from his early work in the Attorney General's Department to his participation in the Thimpu Talks and subsequent political activism.

The book's primary value lies in its detailed, first-person narrative of key historical moments, including the author's strong opposition to the Indo-Lanka Accord, which he correctly predicted would lead to greater bloodshed. It offers an unapologetic, hardline Sinhala nationalist perspective on the causes and evolution of the conflict.

Readers should be aware that this is not an impartial historical analysis but a passionately argued political memoir. It provides a crucial understanding of one influential strand of Sinhalese political thought. As such, it is a valuable primary source for scholars and anyone seeking to understand the complex and deeply polarized viewpoints that have shaped the Sri Lankan civil war, though it should be read alongside accounts from other perspectives for a balanced view.