Publish With Us

Follow Penguin

Follow Penguinsters

Follow Hind Pocket Books

The Professional

The Professional

Ashok Ferrey
Select Preferred Format
<
Buying Options
Paperback / Hardback

It is a universally acknowledged truth that an immigrant in England must be in want of a visa. In 1980s London, young Sri Lankan Chamath, recently down from Oxford with a degree in Maths, struggles to reconcile himself with the workplace. When his father writes him to say, ‘You’re on your own now, mate’, assuming that the magic word ‘Oxford’ will open any door to him, he realizes that push must now come to shove. Working on a building site as a casual labourer, he is approached by two men who ask him whether he would like ‘a bit of work after hours, to earn some dosh on the side’. Chamath gets dragged down below the invisible grid that exists in any big city, into a blue-grey twilight world of illegals. Hired as a male escort, a ‘professional’, a career at which he excels to his great surprise, he finds an unlikely means of making his way through the world. Then, two former clients, an older couple, decide to rescue him-with disastrous consequences. Masterfully and hilariously told, The Professional is sage, canny and witty as Ashok Ferrey always is: an exploration of the nature and meaning of love, of time, of memory.

Imprint: Vintage Books

Published: Apr/2017

ISBN: 9788184004212

Length : 288 Pages

MRP : ₹299.00

The Professional

Ashok Ferrey

It is a universally acknowledged truth that an immigrant in England must be in want of a visa. In 1980s London, young Sri Lankan Chamath, recently down from Oxford with a degree in Maths, struggles to reconcile himself with the workplace. When his father writes him to say, ‘You’re on your own now, mate’, assuming that the magic word ‘Oxford’ will open any door to him, he realizes that push must now come to shove. Working on a building site as a casual labourer, he is approached by two men who ask him whether he would like ‘a bit of work after hours, to earn some dosh on the side’. Chamath gets dragged down below the invisible grid that exists in any big city, into a blue-grey twilight world of illegals. Hired as a male escort, a ‘professional’, a career at which he excels to his great surprise, he finds an unlikely means of making his way through the world. Then, two former clients, an older couple, decide to rescue him-with disastrous consequences. Masterfully and hilariously told, The Professional is sage, canny and witty as Ashok Ferrey always is: an exploration of the nature and meaning of love, of time, of memory.

Buying Options
Paperback / Hardback

Ashok Ferrey

Ashok Ferrey's previous books, Colpetty People and The Good Little Ceylonese Girl, were each shortlisted for the Gratiaen Prize-Sri Lanka's premier literary award-and his novel Serendipity was shortlisted for the State Literary Prize. The Professional was shortlisted for the Gratiaen Prize.

Ferrey is guest lecturer at the City School of Architecture and host of 'The Ashok Ferrey Show', an arts programme on Sri Lankan television. In his spare time he is a personal trainer.

More By The Author

The Professional

The Professional

Ashok Ferrey

A loaf of bread, a glass of bubbly, and thou

By Ashok Ferrey  So the stage is set, the curtain about to rise. Tomorrow, Sarasavi Bookshop at One Galle Face will be launching my first book in 5 years. I don’t know really know why, but there’s something of a feeding frenzy going on. Old aunties in kaftans and dangling earrings are jostling for pole […]

error: Content is protected !!