Tab Article

Ratings: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Genre: Natural History / Ethnography / Travelogue

Book Review:
Wild Ceylon is a timeless classic from R.L. Spittel, a writer whose deep love for Sri Lanka's jungles and its indigenous people shines through on every page. This book is an extraordinary blend of natural history, ethnography, and lyrical prose, capturing a world that was already fading at the time of its writing and has become even more precious in retrospect.

Spittel's subject is the Vedda people, the aboriginal inhabitants of Sri Lanka, and the jungle landscapes they called home. He writes with sensitivity and insight, documenting their customs, beliefs, and way of life with a respect that is rare for his era. The book is also a celebration of the ''variegated and endless beauty'' of Ceylon's jungle trails, evoking the sights, sounds, and rhythms of the wild with vividness and artistry.

What sets Wild Ceylon apart is its literary quality. Spittel was not just a scientist or a naturalist; he was a writer of genuine talent. As the review on the back cover notes, he ''subordinates scholarship and science to the musical undertones which sustain the writing from beginning to end.'' The result is a book that is both informative and deeply moving.

This book is essential reading for anyone interested in Sri Lanka's natural heritage, indigenous cultures, or the art of nature writing. It is a treasure of Sri Lankan literature.