An Evening with John Gimlette, Author of Elephant Complex; Travels in Sri Lanka

An Evening with John Gimlette, Author of Elephant Complex; Travels in Sri Lanka

In this lecture, Elephant Complex, John Gimlette will describe his travels through post-war Sri Lanka and will try to make sense of an island that is wild, beautiful and occasionally bloody. Few places are as contradictory. The island is home to over 5,800 wild elephants and is barely the size of Ireland. Sri Lanka is rich in culture and resources, and yet it’s given to moments of inexplicable rage. For the last three decades, it’s hosted not only an alluring tourist industry but also the most savage civil war Asia has ever known (1983-2009). There was once a time when outsiders felt they knew this island. Now, we’re not so sure.

Gimlette will take the audience back in time to the great medieval reservoir cities, the Portuguese cinnamon forests, the Dutch forts, and the British tea plantations. The tour will head north into the crucible of the conflict and finish on a battlefield the size of Central Park that is still littered with over 10,000 burnt-out vehicles. Along the way, we’ll meet terrorists, test cricketers, a former president, ancient tribesmen, the victims of great massacres and perhaps even the perpetrators.

John Gimlette has travelled to over 80 countries, and, at the age of 17, he crossed the USSR on the Trans-Siberian Railway.  He is the author of five travel books that have been featured on BBC Radio 4.  His awards include the Shiva Naipaul Prize and the Dolman Travel Book Prize.

Date: Wednesday, February 17
Wine Reception: 6:30PM
Lecture: 7:00PM

Cost: Free for members, $15 for guests
Fees for this event will be billed to the member’s account.

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