Guy Gunaratne

Guy Gunaratne (born 1984) is a British journalist, filmmaker and novelist.^[1] Gunaratne identifies as non-binary and uses he/they/them pronouns.^[2]

In 2019, their first novel, In Our Mad and Furious City, won the Dylan Thomas Prize, the Jhalak Prize and the Authors' Club Best First Novel Award. They are based between London, England, and Malmö, Sweden.

Early life and education

Gunaratne was born and grew up in Neasden, north-west London.^[1] Their father had immigrated from Sri Lanka in 1951.^[3] They studied for a film and television degree at Brunel University London in London, then studied current affairs journalism at City, University of London.^[1]

Career

With fellow student and girlfriend, Heidi Lindvall, they set up a film production company. They made a film about the suppression of the media in Sri Lanka a week after the civil war ended, the success of which allowed them to work in television.^[1] Though based in London, the couple followed their work in post-conflict areas around the world, living in several places, including Berlin.^[1]

During this period of making work for television, Gunaratne wrote their first novel, In Our Mad and Furious City.^[1] Its story is set in and around a north west London council estate,^[4] in the 48 hours following a killing reminiscent of the 2013 murder of Lee Rigby.^[5][6] It is narrated by five main characters in turn, in first-person voices.^[7][8] In Our Mad and Furious City deals with "questions about Britain’s divided society and capturing the nuances of urban life".^[9]

As of 2019, they are based between London and Malmö, Sweden.^[1]

Publications

• In Our Mad and Furious City. London: Tinder; Hachette, 2018. ISBN 978-1472250193. New York: MCD x FSG Originals, 2018. ISBN 9780374175771.^[10]
• Mister, Mister. Hachette, 2023. ISBN 9781472250261.^[11]

Awards

• 2018: Shortlisted, Gordon Burn Prize^[12]
• 2018: Shortlisted, Goldsmiths Prize^[13]
• 2018: Longlisted, 2018 Man Booker Prize^[13]
• 2018: Longlisted, Orwell Prize for Political Fiction^[14]
• 2019: Winner, Dylan Thomas Prize, a £30,000 award^[15][16]
• 2019: Winner, Jhalak Prize^[17]
• 2019: Winner, Authors' Club Best First Novel Award^[18]

References

1. Armitstead, Claire (28 June 2019). "Guy Gunaratne: 'In London, you learn to code-switch ... I've always thought of that as a superpower'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 11 January 2020 – via www.theguardian.com.
2. "C&W Agency". cwagency.co.uk. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
3. "Guy Gunaratne on his father and Foyles bookshop story which went viral". Evening Standard. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
4. McAloon, Jonathan (21 April 2018). "If London is a city that crushes, it also endlessly inspires". The Irish Times. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
5. Mancusi, Nicholas (6 December 2018). "The Electric New Novel In Our Mad and Furious City Paints a Must-Read Portrait of London". Time. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
6. Wood, James (7 January 2019). "A Début Novel Captures a City on the Boil". ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 11 January 2020 – via www.newyorker.com.
7. Mcgregor, Jon (28 December 2018). "A Real-Life Murder, Committed in the Name of Islamic Extremism, Inspires a Debut Novel". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 11 January 2020 – via NYTimes.com.
8. Wiles, Ellen. "A tale of two lexicons: Ellen Wiles on novels of place and linguistic identity". The Times Literary Supplement. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
9. Goh, Katie (25 April 2018). "Summer reading: The debut novelists to know this year". The Independent. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
10. Bari, Shahidha (13 April 2018). "In Our Mad and Furious City by Guy Gunaratne review – grime-infused tinderbox debut". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
11. Cummins, Anthony (6 May 2023). "Guy Gunaratne: 'Writing the Abu Ghraib bit of the book took its toll'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
12. "Shortlist announced for Gordon Burn Prize 2018". New Writing North. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
13. Leszkiewicz, Anna. "Guy Gunaratne: 'As a Londoner, it feels natural to write toward multiplicity'". www.newstatesman.com. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
14. Chandler, Mark. "Burns and Gunaratne make longlist for Orwell Prize for Political Fiction". www.thebookseller.com. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
15. Flood, Alison (16 May 2019). "Guy Gunaratne wins Dylan Thomas prize for 'urgent' London novel". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 January 2020 – via www.theguardian.com.
16. "'Stunning' debut scoops Dylan prize". 17 May 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2020 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
17. Taylor, Jack (1 May 2019). "'The London book of our lifetime': Guy Gunaratne wins Jhalak prize". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 11 January 2020 – via www.theguardian.com.
18. Mansfield, Katie. "Guy Gunaratne wins Authors' Club award". www.thebookseller.com. Retrieved 11 January 2020.

External links

• Official website