Shane Joseph

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Shane Joseph

Goodreads Author


Born
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Website

Twitter

Genre

Influences
Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, Graham Greene

Member Since
December 2008


Shane Joseph is a graduate of the Humber School for Writers in Toronto, Canada. He began writing as a teenager living in Sri Lanka and has never stopped. Redemption in Paradise, his first novel, was published in 2004 and his first short story collection, Fringe Dwellers, in 2008. His novel, After the Flood, a dystopian epic set in the aftermath of global warming, was released in November 2009, and won the Canadian Christian Writers award for best Futuristic/Fantasy novel in 2010. His story collection, Paradise Revisited, was shortlisted for the ReLit Award. His latest novel, Victoria Unveiled, was released in the fall of 2024. His short stories and articles have appeared in several Canadian anthologies and in literary journals around the wo ...more

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Popular Answered Questions

Shane Joseph My autobiographical novel, one that introduces the world I came out of and the one I now inhabit is The Ulysses Man, and is my recommendation . But I …moreMy autobiographical novel, one that introduces the world I came out of and the one I now inhabit is The Ulysses Man, and is my recommendation . But I have written science fiction (After the Flood) , romance -adventure (Redemption in Paradise, In the Shadow of the Conquistador) with political and philosophical undertones, and immigrant stories (Paradise Revisited) . It also will depend on the reader's taste as to what subject matter they prefer.
Oh, and I nearly forgot - for those wanting urban stories set in Toronto that feature the marginalized, there is also the collection "Fringe Dwellers."(less)
Average rating: 4.31 · 199 ratings · 136 reviews · 12 distinct worksSimilar authors
Empire in the Sand

4.29 avg rating — 21 ratings — published 2022 — 3 editions
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Redemption in Paradise

4.15 avg rating — 20 ratings — published 2004 — 2 editions
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Fringe Dwellers

4.37 avg rating — 19 ratings — published 2008
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After the Flood

4.05 avg rating — 20 ratings — published 2009 — 4 editions
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Crossing Limbo: Deep Moment...

4.50 avg rating — 18 ratings — published 2017 — 5 editions
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The Ulysses Man

4.41 avg rating — 17 ratings — published 2011 — 5 editions
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Circles in the Spiral

4.11 avg rating — 18 ratings — published 2020 — 3 editions
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Victoria Unveiled

4.44 avg rating — 16 ratings2 editions
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Milltown

4.19 avg rating — 16 ratings — published 2019 — 2 editions
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In the Shadow of the Conqui...

4.50 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 2015 — 2 editions
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More books by Shane Joseph…

Learning from the Mayans

I took a trip to Tulum again, during a recent visit to Mexico, after a gap of 35 years, a journey down memory lane, to see how tourism development had evolved in the intervening years. Like other sites visited and revisited over the years—Machu Picchu, Sigiriya, most notably—these places have gone from sparsely visited, unkempt, and littered hideouts to expensive, hyped, and sanitized money pits f

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Published on March 25, 2026 14:16

Shane’s Recent Updates

Knife by Salman Rushdie
"An excellent memoir of an event, tracing the lead-up and aftermath; the unexpected echoes, symbolism and ironies. Although Rushdie goes into some medical detail about his recovery, you get the sense of him more as an unchanging mind and a resolute wi" Read more of this review »
A Memoir of My Former Self by Hilary Mantel
"“The story of Hilary Mantel is scattered throughout her novels. But in her journalism and essays a full and exhilarating self-portrait emerges: she isn’t afraid to lay herself bare. This book is organised with that in mind – a patchwork of a life rev" Read more of this review »
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Legends of the Fall by Jim Harrison
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Three novellas of under a hundred pages each make up this book, with the book’s title-bearing novella being the last.

My first reaction was – this is a poet trying to write long fiction, and he has no clue of novel craft or doesn’t care, or is inventi
...more
When Eve Was Naked by Josef Škvorecký
""When Eve Was Naked" is a collection of 24 stories originally published between 1948 and 1996 by Josef Škvorecký. The anthology provides an excellent introduction to the Škvorecký's main themes in the form of a biography of Škvorecký's literary alter" Read more of this review »
Shane and 1 other person liked rabbitprincess's review of King Leary:
King Leary by Paul Quarrington
"Another winner from Mr. Paul Quarrington, whose awesomeness I came to much too late. This lively tale is the first-person narration of Percival "King" Leary, former hockey legend and now "agèd and infirm" resident of a seniors' home, soon to be the s" Read more of this review »
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Midnight in Europe by Alan Furst
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A light espionage novel set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War, a politically complicated war and a harbinger to WWII that followed.

Furst picks a complicated international cast – American, Spanish, French, German, Greek, Russian, many of t
...more
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God's Country by Percival Everett
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Percival Everett takes the traditional Western and turns it on its head: the White guys are the bad ones; Blacks and Indigenous (Injuns) are the honorable and good ones; Colonel Custer is a cross-dresser; and everyone stinks, including the women, esp ...more
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Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
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A tale of cousins who are “slightly bent,” bound by need, guilt, and obligations, played out in Harlem in the late ’50s – early ’60s.

In Part 1(1959), Ray Carney, a college-educated owner of a furniture store in Harlem, is constantly doing favours for
...more
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The Wolves of Eternity by Karl Ove Knausgård
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I tried to figure out why an author would write such an enormous novel (almost 800 pages) about a half-brother and sister who are separated by their father’s secret past, when the mounting metaphors finally hit me in the head: this was a novel about ...more
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The Second Sleep by Robert   Harris
The Second Sleep
by Robert Harris (Goodreads Author)
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To discuss the plot of this story, ostensibly set in the year 1468, would be considered a huge spoiler; however, since the truth is revealed 23 pages into the novel, I am going to take the liberty here.

The year 1468, although reflecting much of what
...more
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Quotes by Shane Joseph  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“I found this quote more relevant today than it was yesterday: 'Man is born to live in the convulsions of anxiety or the lethargy of boredom. Hard work is the final solution - it prevents all of the above.' - Voltaire”
Shane Joseph, In the Shadow of the Conquistador

Topics Mentioning This Author

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~Readers Sharing ...: * What are you reading now? (RSR) 1469 268 Apr 14, 2026 07:15AM  
The Reading For P...: What are you Currently Reading? Share Your Reads with Us 495 199 Apr 14, 2026 10:15AM  
“If you start to revise before you've reached the end, you're likely to begin dawdling with the revisions and putting off the difficult task of writing.”
Pearl S. Buck

“I can take two people, throw a world of obstacles at them, defy the odds, and still give them a happily-ever-after. Together. I am a romance author. What's your superpower?”
Kelly Moran

“I found this quote more relevant today than it was yesterday: 'Man is born to live in the convulsions of anxiety or the lethargy of boredom. Hard work is the final solution - it prevents all of the above.' - Voltaire”
Shane Joseph, In the Shadow of the Conquistador

“A society without democracy is a society of slaves and fools.”
Zaman Ali, ZAMANISM Wealth of the People

“No one should need to be big enough to destroy others and all of us must have to be powerful and resourceful enough to protect ourselves.”
Zaman Ali, ZAMANISM Wealth of the People

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This is a group for authors to discuss their craft, as well as publishing and book marketing.
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Each day on other social networks and on my blog I post an inspirational quote from my novel, Courage of Fear. I then post a personal story that someh ...more
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Comments (showing 1-22)    post a comment »
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message 22: by Shane

Shane Richard wrote: "thank you for the friend"

You are welcome.


message 21: by Richard

Richard Dominguez thank you for the friend


message 20: by Dolors

Dolors Thanks for the friend invite, Shane. I am ashamed to confess I haven't read the most famous book in history, but your reasons for reading it might make me change my mind! :)


Linda Thanks for the invite!


message 18: by Milton

Milton Esitubi Mary Anita And The Second Liberation In Kenya Consider reading this book full of African passion and flavour, culture, social life and politics


message 17: by Jesse

Jesse Hanson I really appreciate your including me, Shane. jesse


Gabriele Wills Congratulations on your award, Shane!!!


message 15: by Shane

Shane Marilena wrote: "http://jenniferprado.blogspot.com/
Interesting interview! Bravo! I haven't known about James Goonewardene. But I read today :)
http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.p..."


Glad I was able to help. I was a member of the drama workshop that James ran for the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and acted in many of his radio plays. That is the time I got interested in writing



Marilena http://jenniferprado.blogspot.com/
Interesting interview! Bravo! I haven't known about James Goonewardene. But I read today :)
http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.p...


message 13: by Shane

Shane Okay - I have added my books to the bookshelf and added some pictures of me and the band(s) performing
Shane


message 12: by Ali

Ali Marsman Hi Shane,

I just want to let you know that it's your turn to post in the 'Authors and Their Instruments' Group!

We look forward to it!

:)


message 11: by Bradley

Bradley Thank you for adding me as a friend. =)

http://www.cardshark.com/content/view...

Dreamsbane of Tamalor by Bradley James Simpson


message 10: by Martha

Martha Thanks for adding me, I am always looking for book suggestions!


message 9: by Shane

Shane I'd be honoured. And I welcome your feedback too! - Shane


Shadonna Thanks for the connection. Have a great week!


message 7: by Shane (last edited Feb 04, 2009 08:10AM)

Shane Hi Jeannie - thanks for the note. I took a look at your website. Your co-operative effort with another writer must indeed be an interesting venture. I recently co-ordinated the publication of an anthology of short stories for writers in Northumberland County, Ontario where I live and it was an arduous but rewarding process. I hope your Sri Lankan friend was able to give you a description of that country. My first novel "Redemption in Paradise" was based in that country and tried to portray the effects of its 30-year civil war on a group of western tourists ( including two Americans). The Sri Lankan press ( government controlled) did not take too kindly to my "poking under the rug" as it were and were indifferent to the book although it sold well( and continues to sell) among the Sri Lankan diaspora around the world.
Keep in touch!
Shane


Jeannie Faulkner Barber Hi Shane and thanks so much for the friendship. I used to work with a girl from Sri Lanka...I'd never heard of it until then. Anyway...I love your website! It's very creative and interesting.
Bleesings,
Jeannie


message 5: by Shane

Shane Please do - and I would welcome your feedback as well. Regards!
Shane


Jessica Hello,

Thanks for adding me. I look forward to reading your work.

-J.


Andrea Kulman Hi & thank you for being a friend.


message 2: by Shane (last edited Dec 14, 2008 06:42AM)

Shane Jerry wrote: "I really enjoyed your book, Redemption in Paradise. Thanks for inviting me to this site to learn more about books. I hope your short story launch last month was very successful.
Jerry

Jerry - thanks for your kind sentiments and for giving me 4 stars. The launch of the anthology Changing Ways was a great success - over eighty people showed up (we were expecting 60) and we nearly ran out of books. Our launch for my second book Fringe Dwellers is this Thursday Dec 18th at 7pm at the Bohemian Penguin in Belleville, Ont. If the spirit moves you to take a drive in - do show up!
regards! Shane
"





message 1: by Jerry

Jerry Jordison I really enjoyed your book, Redemption in Paradise. Thanks for inviting me to this site to learn more about books. I hope your short story laugh last month was very successful.
Jerry




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