Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 39 (2013) Winner
Ru Freeman
ルー・フリーマン
Ru Freeman
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Nationality
- Sri Lankan, American
- Languages
- Sinhala, English, French
- Residence History
- Colombo (birth) → Australia (studied at Murdoch University) → United States (Bates College, teaching at Columbia University)
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Activist, Editor, Lecturer
- Active Years
- 1990-
- Affiliations
- Columbia University (teaching), Asian American Literary Review (editorial board member), Institute for Policy Studies (employment), American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO, South Asia office), American Friends Service Committee (humanitarian/disaster relief)
- Memberships
- PEN (associated)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murdoch University | — | — | — | — | Australia |
| Bates College | — | — | BA | — | United States |
| University of Colombo | — | — | — | — | Sri Lanka |
Murdoch University
Country:
Australia
Attended; specific major/details not stated
Bates College
Degree:
BA
Country:
United States
Holds a BA
University of Colombo
Country:
Sri Lanka
Attended; specific details not stated
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize (Fiction) | On Sal Mal Lane | — | — | Winner |
Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize (Fiction)
2014
Work:
On Sal Mal Lane
Result:
Winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
A Disobedient Girl
2009 Novel (prose)A novel by Ru Freeman dealing with family tensions, individual struggles, and social dynamics.
FamilyIndividual and societyPower and oppression
Translations
- Translated into multiple languages, including Italian
On Sal Mal Lane
2013 Novel (prose)Set on the dead-end Sal Mal Lane in Colombo, the novel quietly portrays families and residents of mixed backgrounds and the impact of Sri Lanka's conflicts on their lives.
CommunityEthnic and social tensionsMemory and loss
Translations
- Translated into Italian, French, Turkish, Dutch, Chinese, and others
Bibliography
- A Disobedient Girl (2009)
- On Sal Mal Lane (2013)
- Editor: Extraordinary Rendition: (American) Writers on Palestine (2015)
- Co-editor: Indivisible: Global Leaders on Shared Security (2019)
Translations of Works
- On Sal Mal Lane has been translated into Italian, French, Turkish, Dutch, Chinese, and others
- A Disobedient Girl has also been translated into multiple languages
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Realistic, detailed prose that weaves social and political themesCareful depiction of characters' inner lives and community relations
- Recurring Motifs
- Communities of ColomboFamily bonds and rupturesLegacy of conflict and memory
Legacy
As a Sri Lankan-born writer active in the United States, she is internationally recognized for works addressing migration, interethnic relations, and the effects of conflict. Through awards, editorial work, and teaching, she has influenced emerging writers and public discourse.
Quotes
-
Freeman's assured second novel is a much quieter yet rewarding portrait of a community of families on a dead-end road in Colombo.
Source: The New York Times review (Cristina García) (2013)
Trivia
- Born in Sri Lanka and holds dual Sri Lankan and American citizenship.
- On Sal Mal Lane was selected as a New York Times Editor's Choice Book.
- Contributes essays and book commentary to outlets such as the Huffington Post.
- Winner of the 2014 Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize.