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V.S. Naipul

N

nr0mx

New Member
I recently finished his book India: A Million Mutinies Now. It was an exhilarating read, especially for someone like me who grew up in India but is not an Indian. Naipul traverses the length and breadth of the country, conversing with people from all over. I think it captures the diversity of its people and the stark contrast between different sections of society there. It also manages a balance - it's neither critical nor fawning - something which few other books on India seem to be able to do.

Has anybody else read this book, and what do you think of it if you have ? I'm also looking for options on which of his books I should read next.
 
I have read quite a bit of Naipaul, although not this particular book. Naipaul is of Indian descent but grew up in Trinidad, not India, so when he first visited that country he had an outsider's point of view. This has not always been appreciated by the Indians. Over the years and several visits, he has written several books. He has mellowed somewhat about India, but is/was rather critical of Pakistan.

If you like his writing, try his fiction. I recommend The Mystic Masseur and A House for Mr. Biswas.
 
silverseason said:
If you like his writing, try his fiction. I recommend The Mystic Masseur and A House for Mr. Biswas.
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I read 'Masseur' and didn't like it even a bit. It is not about Naipaul having an outsider view of India. I didn't like his writing style and the story itself was not interesting. In the end, there was nothing that I took back from the book. I am an Indian, BTW.
 
sanyuja said:
I read 'Masseur' and didn't like it even a bit. It is not about Naipaul having an outsider view of India.
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The Masseur book is set in Trinidad and is a gently satiric look at an exile community. No view of India at all.

Naipaul can actually be quite harsh. I find his books set in Africa to be overdone, but he is an equal opportunity critic: hard on Indians, Africans, Europeans.
 
I should try to read him again.I have try twice but he irritated me,this critic side of him.But Silverseason really give a new aproche on him that just might help get over this annoyence.thank yo
 
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