BOOK REVIEW

‘Confessions of a global gypsy,’ by Chandana (Chandi) Jayawardena. Vijitha Yapa Publications. 520 pages. Reviewed by Malinda Seneviratne

A few hours ago I had occasion to reflect on age and aging. Now, as I write, I feel that the words I spoke, as it so happened, to a friend at the Royal-Thomian or the 145th Battle of the Blues, were drawn from a particular episode in one of my all time favourite films, Doctor Zhivago, based on Boris Pasternak’s novel by that name .

Viktor Ippolitovich Komarovski, the main antagonist who played both sides of the Russian Revolution and seduces the principal female character, Larissa (Lara) who is engaged to a young revolutionary, Pasha Antipov. At one point Komarovski offers to help the young couple. What I remembered was part of the dialog:

Komarovski: You are very young.

Pasha: Do people improve with age?

Komarovski: They grow a little more tolerant.

Pasha: Because they have more to tolerate in themselves. If people don’t marry young, what do they bring to their marriage? Komarovski: A little experience.

It occurred to me that Pasha’s question was legitimate. In fact it would be hard to say that Komarovski had himself ‘improved’ with age. Successful, yes.

Experienced, yes. Tolerant of that beyond his power to change, yes, and yet able to make the best of circumstances not of his choosing or preference. Had his stock as a human being appreciated, though? I would think not. So this is what I said:‘It depends on whether or not you’ve lived a life of reflection and whether or not you’ve let your reflections shape your life practices.’‘Confessions of a global gypsy,’ written by Chandana (Chandi) Jayawardena is a memoir of sorts. He recollects incidents from a life of twists and turns, professional and otherwise, in a manner that makes the reader conjure an image of an indefatigable and indomitable human being.

Anyone who has been on four continents and traveled to 100 countries delivering presentations in 39 of them on a wide range of topics related to the hospitality industry, tourism and leadership must have stories to tell.

Well, one could argue that all lives are epic, even those of people who hardly travel, for life imposes circumstances and challenges that everyone has to contend with. People do, one way or another. There’s a world to be seen by traveling and a universe that is visible in a grain of sand.

Not everyone can tell the story or stories rather. Chandi does. And that’s a kind of sharing few are ready or able to accomplish. Chandi recounts his life as a student, a professional in the hospitality industry wearing innumerable hats, an academic, a traveler to and resident in many countries.

Some of it reads like entries in a journal maintained meticulously over several decades. I do not know if indeed Chandi kept notes, but in the very least it is clear that he has an incredible memory. It’s all in the details, one might say.

‘Confessions’ demonstrates that the author is a keen student on the contexts he finds himself in.

The stories are couched in the social, economic and political realities which he acknowledges and comments upon. In a way, then, ‘Confessions’ is also a reflective narrative of the world in which the author is compelled to live in. The details, one supposes, are necessary, but then again too much makes for tedious reading. ‘Could have been edited down,’ I felt.

For Chandi, though, there’s not a word out of place. He needs to tell it all. He needs to paint a comprehensive picture. He wants the reader to feel present. He does achieve this.

He makes the reader accompany him as he walks down memory lane with himself as accomplished tour guide. Even the most fascinating trip, must have ‘stops.’ Fortunately, we can always put down a book. However, since the trip’s been great up to that point, one is compelled to take to the road again. Chandi doesn’t disappoint. This is not his first book.

Chandi has authored a some 25 books on various subjects and has probably written hundreds of journal articles. He probably poured his experiences and reflections into those pages. His work is not all academic though.

He has published a few collections of poetry, and some of them he’s illustrated himself. The man doesn’t stop, I’ve always felt. He doesn’t stop learning. He doesn’t stop exploring.

He can’t stop writing. ‘Confessions’ is not the last word. Indeed, ‘last word’ is probably something Chandi believes does not exist. We are told that ‘Confessions’ is to be followed by ‘Passions.’ ‘Passions of a Global Hotelier.’ Maybe he’ll come up with several other companion books.

‘Regrets,’ perhaps? Maybe ‘At ease’ as well? Who knows? Chandana ‘Chandi’ Jayawardena has improved with age. That much can be said.