Book
Prisoner #1056 : how I survived war and found peace / Roy Ratnavel.
"An incredible rags-to-riches immigrant story from a prominent Tamil Canadian who fled torture and imprisonment, arriving in Canada with Provided by publisher.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780735245723 (hardcover)
- Physical Description: xi, 260 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (chiefly colour) ; 24 cm
- Publisher: Toronto, ON : Viking Canada, 2023.
Content descriptions
| General Note: | Includes index. |
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Ratnavel, Roy, 1969- Businessmen > Canada > Biography. Financial executives > Canada > Biography. Refugees > Canada > Biography. Refugees > Sri Lanka > Biography. Tamil (Indic people) > Canada > Biography. |
| Genre: | Biographies. Autobiographies. |
Available copies
- 1 of 1 copy available at Tsuga Consortium.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 1 total copy.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeshore Branch | 954.93032092 Ratna | 31681010319416 | NONFIC | Available | - |
- Baker & Taylor
"An incredible rags-to-riches immigrant story from a prominent Tamil Canadian who fled torture and imprisonment, arriving in Canada with $50 in his pocket, then rising from the mailroom to the executive suite. For CI Financial executive Roy Ratnavel, "started in the mailroom" is more than a clichâe. That was his start on Bay Street only a few years after escaping the ethnic violence that was engulfing Sri Lanka. Ratnavel's incredible journey begins when he was 17, taken by government soldiers to a prisoncamp for no reason other than guilty of being Tamil. He was tortured for two months, until he was able to get word out to a family friend--a colonel in the Sri Lankan army. "Uncle" Fernando was able to rescue Ratnavel from the camp and return the bruised, bloodied boy to his family. Ratnavel's father understood that there was no future for his son in Sri Lanka. He sought refuge for his son in Canada. When the consular immigration officer asked for proof that the boy faced danger in his homeland, Roy simply lifted his shirt to show the man his raw scars. It wasn't long before Ratnavel was on a plane. His father was shot two days later. To repay the debt he owed to his hero of a father, Ratnavel was determined to find the bright future that had been envisioned for him. He went to night school, worked three jobs at a time, and lived in tiny apartments with four roommates. He persevered, and he hustled. He accepted no charity, even from relatives, but he made the most of the opportunities set in his path and the mentorship offered by those Canadians who recognized his work ethic. Prisoner #1056 is not only a hugely moving immigrant success story and a searing account of overcoming unimaginable injustice and trauma--it is a passionate narrative of determination, and of finding a way to thrive in the darkest of circumstances."-- - Penguin Putnam
#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER
BRONZE MEDALIST IN MEMOIR/BIOGRAPHY FOR THE AXIOM BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS
An incredible immigrant story from a prominent Canadian Tamil who fled torture and imprisonment, arrived in Canada with $50 in his pocket, then rose from the mailroom to the executive suite of the countryâs largest independent asset management company.
Roy Ratnavelâs astonishing journey began at age seventeen, when he was seized by government soldiers and interned in a notorious prison camp for no reason other than being born a Tamil. He saw friends die, and was tortured for a few monthsâuntil an unlikely encounter allowed him to send a message beyond the prison walls, which led to his release.
Seeing nothing but more danger in his sonâs future, Ratnavelâs father sought refuge for his son in Canada, far from the ethnic violence that was consuming Sri Lanka. When the consular immigration officer asked for proof that the boyâs life was at risk in his homeland, Ratnavel simply lifted his shirt to show the man his unhealed scars. It wasnât long before he was on a plane. His father was shot and killed three days later.
To repay the debt he owed to his hero of a father, Ratnavel was determined to find the bright future that had been envisioned for him. He went to night school, worked three jobs at a time, and lived in a tiny space with seven housemates. Ratnavel persevered, and he hustled. He accepted no charity, even from relatives, but he made the most of the opportunities set in his path, the mentorship offered by those Canadians who recognized his potential, and by his new homeland, a country shaped by openness, tolerance, and a commitment to merit.
Prisoner #1056 is not only a moving immigrant success story and a searing account of surviving unimaginable injustice and traumaâit is an urgent warning that the dark forces of populism that tore apart the once-prosperous island of Sri Lanka can do their ugly work in Western societies too. Passionate, raw, thoughtful, and far-seeing, Prisoner #1056 makes the case that our destiny is in our own hands.
