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V.S. Naipaul

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    V.S. Naipaul

    Left us this weekend. A complicated man who was difficult to like, or relate to, but always an excellent literary craftsman. I read most of his early fiction but left him at the Bend in the River. Perhaps I'll return sooner rather than later.

    #2
    Heard a lot of obituaries today about him which was interesting as I have never read his books but had them down as future purchases. From the obits, it seemed like he was a complete arsehole to Salman Rushdie, Paul Theroux and many journalists but they all seemed to forgive him. One of his best mates was the Mail on Sunday. In many ways, he sounds horrendous, at best a curmudgeon. Interesting man.

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      #3
      Naipaul just used Theroux, as errand-boy and interpreter while they were together in Africa, and later as unofficial publicist ;Theroux wrote several glowing reviews of Naipaul's works. I doubt there ever was a 'falling-out' from Naipaul's perspective - other people were a means to an end for him. He certainly didn't rate Theroux's travel writing, calling it 'books for lower-class tourists'.

      Naipaul's 70s novels - In a Free State, Guerillas and A Bend in the River - are all about outsiders in countries that are about to erupt, and they're among the most frightening things I've ever read. They're also utterly cold and joyless, unlike earlier works like Biswas or later ones like The Enigma of Arrival. The small details of life in both of those are delightful, and make you realise that Naipaul must have been human after all.

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        #4
        Biswas the book I enthused about in the job interview where I fell over on leaving the room. Nerves causing pins and needles, I wasnt drunk or making a lit crit statement

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          #5
          Talking of Theroux, his take on today's big game. "They play each other a guid six times a year, but there's nae allus a riot, ken?"

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