Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje is a memoir blending magical realism and stream-of-consciousness elements, recounting the author's journey to better understand his father, Mervyn Ondaatje, through visits to Sri Lanka in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The non-linear narrative combines personal essays, historical reports, and cultural reflections, revealing familial history, societal obligations, and childhood memories. The memoir addresses alcohol dependency.

Michael Ondaatje's Running in the Family is lauded for its lyrical prose and vivid depiction of Sri Lankan heritage, blending memoir and fiction in an evocative narrative. Critics praise its rich descriptive language and emotional depth yet note occasional disjointed storytelling. Overall, it's a compelling exploration of memory and identity, despite structural challenges.

Ideal for readers who relish poetic memoirs blending personal and cultural history, Michael Ondaatje's Running in the Family will captivate fans of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude and Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children. This evocative narrative suits those intrigued by lyrical prose and family sagas.

Nostalgic / Bittersweet / Contemplative / Fantastical / Emotional

- Running in the Family is a semi-autobiographical novel that blends fact and fiction, exploring Michael Ondaatje's Sri Lankan heritage and family history through a series of vivid and dreamlike episodes.
- The book was published in 1982 and reflects Ondaatje's distinctive style of incorporating poetry and prose, showcasing his talent for lyrical language.
- Michael Ondaatje revisited Sri Lanka, his country of birth, in the late 1970s to gather stories and experiences that would form the foundation of Running in the Family.

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