Lakdasa Wikkramasinha (1941-1978) has been acknowledged as one of the finest Sri Lankan poets writing in English. The Sri Lankan born Booker Prize winner Michael Ondaatje says Wikkramasinha has written “some of the most permanent and iconic poems of this country”.
In a period spanning only thirteen years before his untimely death, Wikkramasinha published six collections of his English poems (and two collections of Sinhala poems as well).
Rage and Heartbreak fulfills the pressing need for a collection of critical writings on Wikkramasinha’s poetry. Essays authored by Gamini Haththotuwegama, Lilani Jayatilaka, Annemari de Silva, Nihal Fernando, Vihanga Perera, Madri Kalugala, Chandana Dissanayake, Nipuni Ranaweera, and George Braine are followed by Indrakanthi Perera’s brief memorial.
Most authors are practicing or retired academics, mainly in English literature. Some are published poets.
Rage and Heartbreak is published by Tambapanni Academic Press and priced at Rs. 3000/.
Vihanga Perera (Ph.D., Australian National University) is an academic and researcher working at the Department of English, University of Sri Jayawardenapura. He is also a poet and novelist, an arts critic, and editor of creative work. He is a recipient of the Gratiaen Prize and the State Literary Award.
George Braine (Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin) taught English in four countries before retiring from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was acquainted with Lakdasa Wikkramasinha in the 1970s.
Published online by island.lk: 18 July 2025
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A new book titled Rage and Heartbreak brings together critical essays on the work of Lakdasa Wikkramasinha (1941–1978), one of Sri Lanka’s most celebrated poets writing in English. Booker Prize winner Michael Ondaatje has described Wikkramasinha as having written “some of the most permanent and iconic poems of this country.”
During a brief 13-year literary career, Wikkramasinha published six collections of English poetry and two in Sinhala before his untimely death. Rage and Heartbreak addresses the need for sustained critical attention on his work, featuring essays by Gamini Haththotuwegama, Lilani Jayatilaka, Annemari de Silva, Nihal Fernando, Vihanga Perera, Madri Kalugala, Chandana Dissanayake, Nipuni Ranaweera, and George Braine, along with a memorial by Indrakanthi Perera.
Most contributors are academics and published poets. The book is edited by Vihanga Perera, a Gratiaen Prize and State Literary Award-winning poet, novelist, and researcher at the University of Sri Jayawardenapura, and George Braine, a retired academic who knew Wikkramasinha personally.
The book is published by Tambapanni Academic Press.
Published online by dailynews.lk: 26 July 2025