The Monkey King & Other Stories [Paperback]

Griffin Ondaatje (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1995

Timothy Findley, Michael Ondaatje, Tim Wynne-Jones, George Woodcock, M.G. Vassanji, P.K. Page, Linda Spalding, Shyam Selvadurai, Judith Thompson, Tim Lilburn and Diane Schoemperlen are just a few of the well-known and respected writers who have joined together in this innovative anthology to celebrate World Literacy of Canada's 40th anniversary. Each writer was asked to re-create a Sri Lankan folk tale, each retelling it in their own distinctive voice.

The Monkey King and Other Stories is a unique gift anthology, beautifully packaged and sprinkled throughout with black-and-white illustrations.

Product Details

• Paperback: 274 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins Canada; 1st edition (August 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0006479405
• ISBN-13: 978-0006479406
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,430,621 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How is it that more people don't know about this book?, June 15, 2000

By 

Edward Alexander Gerster "miamibooks" (South Miami, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Monkey King & Other Stories (Paperback)

I love Asian tales and folklore, and was surprised that I had not heard about this book before stumbling across it at Amazon. In fact, I was looking for a copy of the traditional tale of "The Monkey King" when I found this. And if you are even slightly intrigued by Buddhist or Hindu legends and folktales -- then I highly recommend this thoroughly modern retelling of tales.

Shyam Selvadurai, author of the wonderful novel FUNNY BOY, retells the Monkey King with a new voice that is calm and soothing, with an edge reflecting the modern day conflicts in Sri Lanka. Michael Ondaatje, of THE ENGLISH PATIENT fame, tells 'The Vulture' and 'Angulimala' with his usual brilliance. And Graeme MacQueen does a wonderful job on a pair of tales, as well as providing a foreword for these tales. Griffin Ondaatje proves to be a most capable editor as well as storyteller, and a large cast of Canadian-Sri Lankan writers retell these tales with heart and soul.