Running in the Family is a lyrical memoir in which memory and imagination merge to reconstruct Michael Ondaatje’s childhood in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Leaving the island at age eleven, the author returns decades later to piece together the free-spirited lives of his parents and grandparents against a backdrop of colonial decline.

The narrative weaves fact and fiction into vivid vignettes: moonlit tango dances, high-stakes gambling sessions, and whispered family scandals. Ondaatje’s prose evokes an exotic landscape populated by eccentric relatives and social rituals that blend East and West traditions.

Rich in cultural detail and personal insight, this memoir offers a unique perspective on identity, inheritance, and the fading world of Sri Lanka’s upper class. Its seamless fusion of storytelling and historical reflection invites readers to explore themes of memory, belonging, and the passage of time.

Highlights

• Memoir meets fiction in a captivating narrative
• Portrait of colonial Sri Lanka’s social life
• Eccentric family characters and personal legends
• Lyrical prose and vivid cultural imagery

We ship at a flat rate of $9.99 per order. Orders $45 and up ship free of charge.