Razeen Sally’s transition from his traditional academic and policy advisory roles into travel writing marks a significant breakthrough. In his book “Return to Sri Lanka – Travels in a Paradoxical Island," he skillfully blends the narrative styles of George Orwell and Bill Aitken. The work is both scholarly and engaging, combining elements of history, religion, people, and politics, as Sally explores his Sri Lankan roots. Although raised in England, Sally is of Sri Lankan Muslim descent, with family ties in and around Colombo. He describes himself as “half and half," born to an Anglo-Welsh mother and a Sinhalese Muslim father, yet he has grown into a Sri Lankan British writer.

The book is divided into two parts: Sally’s Sri Lankan childhood and his adult travels across the island. Accompanied by two trusted drivers, Nihal and Joseph, Sally traverses the teardrop-shaped island, formerly known as Ceylon. His narrative is enriched with quotations from renowned explorers and pioneers of Sri Lanka, primarily British, who once made the island their home.

Sally’s historical account begins with the arrival of Muslim traders from Arabia and Java, who were predominantly Sunnis. His personal recollections start from the 1960s Ceylon to modern-day Sri Lanka. The author’s empathy with the country stems from his experiences with the IPKF, which aimed to subdue ethnic conflict, and his enduring affection for Sri Lankan friends. This bond drew him back to the island repeatedly, retracing familiar paths. Both Sinhalese and Tamils migrated from India,........

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