- Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew
Shehan's best-selling debut novel Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew won the Commonwealth Book Prize, the Gratiaen Prize and the DSC Prize for South Asian literature. His second novel, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida won the
2023 Booker Prize and will be translated into 36 languages.
He's published two novels and three children's books. And has written on sport, music and travel for the Guardian, Rolling Stone, Wisden, GQ, Conde Nast and National Geographic.
He lives in Colombo and Kurunegala with a wife, two kids, five guitars and fifteen unfinished stories.
Kids' Books
"The things they don't teach you in school. how to love. how to die. how to stage a dramatic comeback."
- 'Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew.
screenplays
Shehan's written two screenplays, both about cricket.
And is working on a thriller that has nothing to do with sports.
Boys Played Pretty Well (2021)
GET TO KNOW THE WRITER
Writer. Creative. Author.
Shehan writes about forgotten cricketers, drunk old men, war photographers, chatty ghosts, self-driving cars and time travellers. His stories are absurd and mostly true.
In 2022, a short story collection, The Birth Lottery and other Surprises was published by Little, Brown UK and Hachette India. His novel The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida will be released worldwide by Sort Of Books. His debut screenplay for 800: The Murali Story was released worldwide in 2023.
Awards
THE BOOKER Interviews
A selection of interviews with Shehan from the Booker Prize 2022.
booker adventures
A selection of photos and videos with Shehan from the Booker Prize Tour.
