Prisoner No.1056

Prisoner #1056

Hardcover edition
Author	Roy Ratnavel
Language	English
Subject	Autobiography
Genre	Non-fiction
Publisher	Viking Canada
Publication date	April 18, 2023
Publication place	Canada
Media type	Print, e-book, audiobook
Pages	272 pp.
ISBN	978-0-7352-4572-3

Prisoner #1056: How I Survived War and Found Peace is a memoir by Roy Ratnavel, a Sri Lankan Tamil Canadian war victim and business executive. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]}

Prisoner #1056 narrates Ratnavel’s immigrant story, fleeing from torture and imprisonment, arriving in Canada with $50 in his pocket, and then rising from the mailroom to the executive suite. ^[10]

Recognition

• CBC Books listed on June 20, 2023, 'Prisoner #1056' as one of the '15 Canadian books to read for World Refugee Day'; The United Nations has created this day in its bid to raise awareness how the refugees around the world are undergoing inhumanity and severe hardships. ^[11]

• #1 National Bestseller – The memoir reached #1 on Canada’s national non‑fiction bestseller list for the week of May 5, 2023, as reported by The Globe and Mail (via a pay‑walled list) and confirmed by the author’s announcement on social media. ^[12]

• 2024 Axiom Business Book Award – Bronze Medal (Memoir / Biography) – Prisoner # 1056 was awarded the Bronze Medal in category 24 (Memoir / Biography) at the 2024 Axiom Business Book Awards. ^[13]

• Audible Canada – Best of 2023 Audiobooks – The audiobook version was selected among Audible Canada’s “Best of 2023” audiobook titles, listing Prisoner # 1056 among its notable picks. ^[14]

References

1. "Canada's 50 Best Executives 2020: They led their companies through COVID-19 and built a better country in the process". The Globe and Mail . October 30, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
2. "CI Investments introduces private pools". Investment Executive . October 30, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
3. "Author of 'Prisoner #1056' Roy Ratnavel faults SL for being deported by Singapore". Daily FT . August 5, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
4. ""Today's issues happening in Sri Lanka are all rooted in bad policies" - Roy Ratnavel -". Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka) . September 19, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
5. "Roy Ratnavel on his new memoir 'Prisoner #1056'". Global News . April 21, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
6. ""I was a teenage political prisoner in war-torn Sri Lanka. Today, I'm one of Canada's top financial executives"". Toronto Life . June 19, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
7. "Roy Ratnavel". SBS Tamil . 19 July 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
8. "15 Canadian books to read for World Refugee Day". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . June 20, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
9. "'Prisoner #1056' by Roy Ratnavel". Ilankai Tamil Sangam, USA. April 18, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
10. "Prisoner #1056". Penguin Random House . Retrieved January 5, 2023.
11. "15 Canadian books to read for World Refugee Day". CBC Books. CBC. 2023-06-20. Retrieved 2025-08-03. *Prisoner #1056* by Roy Ratnavel featured among the selected titles highlighting refugee stories and experiences.
12. "The Globe and Mail Bestsellers for the week of May 5, 2023". The Globe and Mail. 2023-05-05. Archived from the original on 2023-05-05. Retrieved 2025-08-03. Listed as the #1 Canadian non-fiction bestseller.
13. "2024 Medalists". Axiom Awards. Independent Publisher. 2024. Retrieved 2025-08-03. Category 24 – Memoir / Biography: Bronze – *Prisoner #1056* by Roy Ratnavel
14. "Best of the Year 2023". Audible.ca. Audible, Inc. 2023. Retrieved 2025-08-03. *Prisoner #1056* featured among the top Audible audiobooks of 2023.

External links

• Prisoner #1056 at Google Books