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Blue: Stories for Adults
Sri Lanka's first collection of sixteen scorching stories that evoke a world of heady sensuality and offer a veritable smorgasboard of spicy fantasies. These irresistibly hot stories deliver a delicious array of situations where it seem anything can happen - and often it does! A book with lots of naughtiness gorgeous photographs and a fresh focus on Sri Lankan fiction.
146 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
Ameena Hussein
7 books24 followersTrained as a sociologist and having worked and studied in Los Angeles, after a short period in Geneva, Ameena Hussein returned to live in Sri Lanka in 2003. She is the co-founder of the Perera Hussein Publishing House which publishes cutting edge Sri Lankan fiction. She divides her time between Colombo and her country home where she grows trees to offset the environmental pollution in printing books. She has published two award winning collections of short stories, Fifteen and Zillij and in 2009 published her first novel, The Moon in the Water.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 19, 2013
Impressive collection. Liked the diversity of relationships it chooses to explore through this genre. Was hoping a tad more for descriptions of Sri Lankan landscape and lifestyle, though. Recommended to anyone interested in reading about lust, love and the the thin line between the two.
December 10, 2019
I got this book in a place where they sold books by Weight. Didn't expect that this would actually turn out to be trash. There was one story, 76 Park Avenue, which was above average. Rest of the book is trash. Poor editing makes it impossible to figure out what's happening.
The title has "Erotic stories" in it but not a single story aroused me. Don't read this. Look at the cover and move on to find another book.
The title has "Erotic stories" in it but not a single story aroused me. Don't read this. Look at the cover and move on to find another book.
March 19, 2019
This is an anthology or erotically-themed short fiction and poetry of Sri Lanka.
Readers who are interested in cultural idiosyncrasies, particularly related to sexuality, will find the works included offer fascinating insights. That said, readers whose primary experience with erotic fiction is, for example, French erotica will probably find the stories tentative and occasionally creepy in a desperation-derived way (e.g. the hotel employee who sneaks into an admired guest’s room and – among other things -- sniffs clothing.) For readers outside South Asia, one must read these works with a recognition that it is a culture that is less open about sexuality, in which the sexes don’t co-mingle as freely in youth, and where people have to take love when and where they can get it to a greater extent than readers from elsewhere may be used to. That said, the characters in these stories tend to be from a more open and progressive segment of society, but they are still operating within the constraints of the society. Some readers will find the tentativeness endearing and nostalgic, others may find it slow or tame.
Before describing each work in brief, the reader may wish to be made aware that – unlike many works of erotica – this book does not target a particular sex or sexual orientation. By that I mean, it bounces around between straight, lesbian, and gay male relationships in its stories.
- The Proposal: The first-person narrator has a friend who is on the outs with his girlfriend, and said narrator has an opportunity to bed said girlfriend. There isn’t much deliberation about whether a “bro” should be put first here
- Sex in the Hood: A poem about art and life in challenging environs.
- Undercover: A middle-aged woman whose marriage has gone lukewarm, gets groped at a movie theater, and returns the next day.
- Me and Ms. J: An ex-pat in Brussels looks back on a youthful lesbian dalliance with an older woman.
- The Lava Lamp: When girlfriends end up staying together overnight, the lava lamp becomes a representation of the couple’s flow with each other. A short piece.
- Bus Stop: A young man works up the courage to advance a relationship with a pretty girl he’s been seeing (wordlessly) at the bus stop for months. This is one of the longer and more developed pieces.
- A Courtyard: An imagery-intensive poem not only about a courtyard, but what is glimpsed across it. Probably my favorite of the poetry.
- Veysee: If you thought my mention of a hotel employee who sneaks into a guest’s room and sniffs her clothes was creepy, this story about a porn-addicted thirty-something carrying out a covert relationship with an under-aged girl takes creepiness to a new level. (Though there are hints of recognition on the part of the character of the error of his ways.)
- No: This is less erotic than a commentary on things that go unsaid in sexual relationships because the individuals involved don’t know how to broach the subject, or because they are operating on fundamentally different wave-lengths. I should say that it’s not that it lacks the sensuality of erotica, but it deals heavily with consent being mowed down.
- I’d Like to Hold Your Hand: A poem describing how the author would like to proceed from holding hands to ecstasy.
- Bi-Cycle: This is a very brief dreamy piece about the author’s personal dilemma.
- Bookworm: A bookish young man gets ushered into sexuality by the shopkeeper of his favorite bookstore.
- What Reminds Me of You: A sensual poem of nostalgia for a past love.
- Room 1716: A lobby manager at a hotel in Colombo develops a secret crush on Alicia, a tourist from an undesignated Western country. When Alicia makes a short overnight trip, the manager arranges for her to keep her room without charge. Said manager then sneaks into the room to investigate clues about her girl-crush.
- 76, Park Avenue: A Russian (or other undesignated Slavic) man has a relationship with a Sri Lankan woman.
- Flower Offering: A sensual poem about flowers – literal and symbolic.
- Hot Date: A guy ends up in drama through pursuit of the most sexually willing girl.
I found this book to be interesting. As I said, to relate to many of its characters and their motivations one has to be aware of setting and cultural norms. It has a mix of more and less developed stories and characters. (Though there are no isolated sex scenes, as sometimes occur in erotic works.) There’s a lot of power-dynamics playing out, but not at all in the explicitly sadomasochistic dominant / submissive way. There are many characters and actions that a reader might find unsavory (e.g. the grown man who acts like he’s fresh out of puberty and has no self control is a recurring theme) but loathsome characters can be as readable as likable ones. (Only indifferent characters are unreadable.)
I’d recommend this book for those who are interested in taking a world tour of erotica.
Readers who are interested in cultural idiosyncrasies, particularly related to sexuality, will find the works included offer fascinating insights. That said, readers whose primary experience with erotic fiction is, for example, French erotica will probably find the stories tentative and occasionally creepy in a desperation-derived way (e.g. the hotel employee who sneaks into an admired guest’s room and – among other things -- sniffs clothing.) For readers outside South Asia, one must read these works with a recognition that it is a culture that is less open about sexuality, in which the sexes don’t co-mingle as freely in youth, and where people have to take love when and where they can get it to a greater extent than readers from elsewhere may be used to. That said, the characters in these stories tend to be from a more open and progressive segment of society, but they are still operating within the constraints of the society. Some readers will find the tentativeness endearing and nostalgic, others may find it slow or tame.
Before describing each work in brief, the reader may wish to be made aware that – unlike many works of erotica – this book does not target a particular sex or sexual orientation. By that I mean, it bounces around between straight, lesbian, and gay male relationships in its stories.
- The Proposal: The first-person narrator has a friend who is on the outs with his girlfriend, and said narrator has an opportunity to bed said girlfriend. There isn’t much deliberation about whether a “bro” should be put first here
- Sex in the Hood: A poem about art and life in challenging environs.
- Undercover: A middle-aged woman whose marriage has gone lukewarm, gets groped at a movie theater, and returns the next day.
- Me and Ms. J: An ex-pat in Brussels looks back on a youthful lesbian dalliance with an older woman.
- The Lava Lamp: When girlfriends end up staying together overnight, the lava lamp becomes a representation of the couple’s flow with each other. A short piece.
- Bus Stop: A young man works up the courage to advance a relationship with a pretty girl he’s been seeing (wordlessly) at the bus stop for months. This is one of the longer and more developed pieces.
- A Courtyard: An imagery-intensive poem not only about a courtyard, but what is glimpsed across it. Probably my favorite of the poetry.
- Veysee: If you thought my mention of a hotel employee who sneaks into a guest’s room and sniffs her clothes was creepy, this story about a porn-addicted thirty-something carrying out a covert relationship with an under-aged girl takes creepiness to a new level. (Though there are hints of recognition on the part of the character of the error of his ways.)
- No: This is less erotic than a commentary on things that go unsaid in sexual relationships because the individuals involved don’t know how to broach the subject, or because they are operating on fundamentally different wave-lengths. I should say that it’s not that it lacks the sensuality of erotica, but it deals heavily with consent being mowed down.
- I’d Like to Hold Your Hand: A poem describing how the author would like to proceed from holding hands to ecstasy.
- Bi-Cycle: This is a very brief dreamy piece about the author’s personal dilemma.
- Bookworm: A bookish young man gets ushered into sexuality by the shopkeeper of his favorite bookstore.
- What Reminds Me of You: A sensual poem of nostalgia for a past love.
- Room 1716: A lobby manager at a hotel in Colombo develops a secret crush on Alicia, a tourist from an undesignated Western country. When Alicia makes a short overnight trip, the manager arranges for her to keep her room without charge. Said manager then sneaks into the room to investigate clues about her girl-crush.
- 76, Park Avenue: A Russian (or other undesignated Slavic) man has a relationship with a Sri Lankan woman.
- Flower Offering: A sensual poem about flowers – literal and symbolic.
- Hot Date: A guy ends up in drama through pursuit of the most sexually willing girl.
I found this book to be interesting. As I said, to relate to many of its characters and their motivations one has to be aware of setting and cultural norms. It has a mix of more and less developed stories and characters. (Though there are no isolated sex scenes, as sometimes occur in erotic works.) There’s a lot of power-dynamics playing out, but not at all in the explicitly sadomasochistic dominant / submissive way. There are many characters and actions that a reader might find unsavory (e.g. the grown man who acts like he’s fresh out of puberty and has no self control is a recurring theme) but loathsome characters can be as readable as likable ones. (Only indifferent characters are unreadable.)
I’d recommend this book for those who are interested in taking a world tour of erotica.
December 27, 2016
An excellent exposition of the inner workings of the human mind
June 16, 2015
Blue - The Tranquebar Book of Erotic Stories From Sri Lanka is a book that questions the existing sexual stereotypes in the island country through it’s collection of erotic and titillating stories. The 17 stories and poems compiled in the book portray situations and excerpts from the lives of their protagonists, where they all encounter their sexuality. These stories deliver a delicious array of situations where it seems like anything can happen – and often does but alas, it does not turn out to be very engaging.
The book's name is a tribute to the days of blue films, which most of us have watched one time or the other in our life. It will not appeal to diverse range of readers as most of the stories are written by debut or pseudonym authors. The editor attempts to assemble different genres together like teens exploring their sexuality, frustrated housewives, two strangers together in a cinema hall, the love of a convent student for her female teacher, the men bored in marriage and finding solace in phone calls and the unwitting involvement of a young girl in molestation etc. The book has made an effort to represent the various aspects and kinds of sexual relations but has been unable to do anything original with them. The poems are amateurish in the true sense and does not really fit into the anthology spirit.
Blue is reprinted in India a year after its original Sri Lankan publication by Perera Hussein Publishing House. Its first edition had been supplemented by black and white photography in lieu of story dividers – a gratuity which was dropped in this market, something which might have just taken away some subtlety from the book. It is cinematic equivalent of watching a B-grade Porn. Read it if you must!
The book's name is a tribute to the days of blue films, which most of us have watched one time or the other in our life. It will not appeal to diverse range of readers as most of the stories are written by debut or pseudonym authors. The editor attempts to assemble different genres together like teens exploring their sexuality, frustrated housewives, two strangers together in a cinema hall, the love of a convent student for her female teacher, the men bored in marriage and finding solace in phone calls and the unwitting involvement of a young girl in molestation etc. The book has made an effort to represent the various aspects and kinds of sexual relations but has been unable to do anything original with them. The poems are amateurish in the true sense and does not really fit into the anthology spirit.
Blue is reprinted in India a year after its original Sri Lankan publication by Perera Hussein Publishing House. Its first edition had been supplemented by black and white photography in lieu of story dividers – a gratuity which was dropped in this market, something which might have just taken away some subtlety from the book. It is cinematic equivalent of watching a B-grade Porn. Read it if you must!
February 21, 2013
This was first book I read that was about erotica. I know there is another book in market on the subject called Electric Feather from same publications. Based on few paragraphs friends shared, I decided that book was not for me. But I know erotic stories can be good, I remember I judged a short story contest for Blogadda, it was an erotic story that won since it was so well-written. I went through lot of dilemma about reception of such a result but since Blogadda guys gave me free hand, I stuck with courage to go with it. :) But I digress.
This book I picked up, since stories were from Sri Lanka. Well, Sri Lank is exotic to me. Now, characters were in sarong or osari. Different Sri Lankan exotic words slip in. There are stories about straight love, getting laid, gay love and lesbians in love. It wasn't awkward to read any one of them, thankfully.
Though not all stories weren't great and poetry was simply passable. Yet I liked it, since stories were a breeze to read and some of them did rise to occasion. ;)
I found the contributors to the anthology interesting too. There were two writers who contributed two stories each. Tariq Solomons and Sam Perera - both stories contrary in outlook, one is about a straight couple and other about a gay couple. Chinaman writer Shehan Karunatilaka has also contributed a story, though a sad one.
Stories I liked were: No, The Proposal and Bookworm. I think Undercover too deserves a mention.
This book I picked up, since stories were from Sri Lanka. Well, Sri Lank is exotic to me. Now, characters were in sarong or osari. Different Sri Lankan exotic words slip in. There are stories about straight love, getting laid, gay love and lesbians in love. It wasn't awkward to read any one of them, thankfully.
Though not all stories weren't great and poetry was simply passable. Yet I liked it, since stories were a breeze to read and some of them did rise to occasion. ;)
I found the contributors to the anthology interesting too. There were two writers who contributed two stories each. Tariq Solomons and Sam Perera - both stories contrary in outlook, one is about a straight couple and other about a gay couple. Chinaman writer Shehan Karunatilaka has also contributed a story, though a sad one.
Stories I liked were: No, The Proposal and Bookworm. I think Undercover too deserves a mention.
August 1, 2014
Well have to give some credit for publishing erotica in Sri Lanka. Good attempt, but could've done with a better collection. Some of the stories were too abrupt. I only liked Shehan Karunatileke's story out of the collection.
April 8, 2013
I would like to think of this collection as a bunch of poems and stories with a strong influence of sex. Straight,Gay and Bi.Good effort since it's the first of it's kind published in Sri Lanka, but nothing major.
June 25, 2011
NOT erotica. Except for a few stories that are interesting, it is not good.
January 1, 2013
I'm sorry. It didn't appeal me.. Waste for money! :(
July 22, 2011
Shehan Karunatilaka's story and Coomerene's poems are memorable.
June 21, 2018
Kudos for the mere effort of publishing an erotica in Sri Lanka. "Blue: The Tranquebar Book Of Erotic Stories From Sri Lanka" is a collection of erotic short stories and poems. What struck out the most was the inculcation of lesbian and gay themes and the issue of rape in one of the short stories. Except for 2-3 stories, most of them seemed a little abrupt, more focused on the depiction of sex rather than a smooth progression of the narrative. The poems in particular were simply not up to snuff. Overall, it's not a bad read. You can probably finish the book in a single sitting but just don't expect anything "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" (and yes, that's not a madeup word!! Google it if you don't believe me ;)) out of it.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews