Season Finale: Exploring an Author's Life with Ashok Ferry

The final episode of Season 1 and Dee talks to acclaimed Sri Lankan author Ashok Ferry about his multifaceted life, including his experiences studying at Oxford University, attending a Benedictine monastery in Sussex, his journey as a property developer in the UK and his role in founding the Galle and Ceylon Literary Festivals. Ashok shares insights into his life and his unique creative process. They discuss the cultural richness of Sri Lanka, its emerging creative talents, and the emotional depths of Ashok's work.

The episode features Ashok reading a personal and moving excerpt from his book 'The Unmarriageable Man,' encapsulating the profound themes in his writing beyond the satire and humour.

Summary

01:07 Meet Ashok Ferry: Author and Personal Trainer

03:17 Ashok's Writing Process and Personal Life

08:44 The Confessional Role of Personal Training

14:56 Ashok's Diverse Background and Early Life

22:11 Venturing into Property Development

29:07 The Accidental Writer: Birth of 'Colpetti People'

34:06 The Art of Letting Things Be

34:22 Mathematics in Writing

36:21 The Role of Sound and Rhythm in Art

37:36 Emotional Design and Neuroplasticity

38:51 The Creative Process and Following the Story

39:43 Favorite Books and Writing During War

44:14 The Ceylon Literary Festival

48:12 Promoting Young Talent and Accessibility

54:02 Sri Lanka's Creative Spirit

01:01:37 The Power of Poetry

01:04:25 A Heartfelt Reading

About Ashok Ferry and Links

Best-selling Sri Lankan author Ashok Ferrey has six books to his credit, all variously nominated for the Gratiaen Prize, the DSC Prize, or State Literary Award. His last, The Unmarriageable Man, went on to win the Gratiaen - Sri Lanka’s premier literary prize founded by Michael Ondaatje.

In a parallel life Ashok is a designer and builder of houses. His last project, the Cricket Club Café in Colombo, was nominated for a Geoffrey Bawa Award for Excellence in Architecture – the first time a non-architect was accorded this honour.

A  former TEDx speaker, and Curator of the very first Ceylon Literary Festival, Ashok is by day a personal trainer.

Ashok Ferry video reading in 2020 for the Health Services Sri Lanka and UK on behalf of Kalukanda House

Videa of Ashok reading

Dee Gibson is the award winning designer and founder of boutique hotel Kalukanda House in Sri Lanka, www.kalukandahouse.com ~ Conde Nast Best Places to Visit in Asia 2024 & HIP Hotels Best Hotels 2025. You can follow on
instagram @deegibson2017 or @kalukandahouse

This podcast lifts the veil on what, and more importantly WHO this island is with conversations about all the things you never read about in the travel pages. Dee showcases a fascinating modern society reclaiming their identity and taking ownership of their narratives on the global stage. No subject is taboo so expect guests talking about everything from activism through art and yoga, why sari was modified by British colonisers, a performance on love and lust to episodes on forgotten heroines being narrated back into our history books and much more.