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V.S. Naipaul

Born

in Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago

August 17, 1932

Died

August 11, 2018

Genre

Fiction, Nonfiction, Travel

Influences

Joseph Conrad, Somerset Maugham, Evelyn Waugh ...more

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V. S. Naipaul was a British writer of Indo-Trinidadian descent known for his sharp, often controversial explorations of postcolonial societies, identity, and displacement. His works, which include both fiction and nonfiction, often depict themes of exile, cultural alienation, and the lingering effects of colonialism.
He gained early recognition with A House for Mr Biswas, a novel inspired by his father’s struggles in Trinidad. His later works, such as The Mimic Men, In a Free State, and A Bend in the River, cemented his reputation as a masterful and incisive writer. Beyond fiction, his travelogues and essays, including Among the Believers and India: A Million Mutinies Now, reflected his critical perspective on societies in transition.
Naipaul ...more

Combine Editions
V.S. Naipaul’s books

Average rating: 3.7 · 85,345 ratings · 7,652 reviews · 116 distinct works • Similar authors

	A House for Mr Biswas 3.80 avg rating — 22,780 ratings — published 1961 — 27 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Bend in the River 3.76 avg rating — 19,182 ratings — published 1979 — 118 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Miguel Street 3.94 avg rating — 5,440 ratings — published 1959 — 87 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	In a Free State 3.50 avg rating — 5,581 ratings — published 1971 — 86 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Half a Life 3.24 avg rating — 4,968 ratings — published 2001 — 86 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Among the Believers : An Islamic Journey 3.86 avg rating — 2,541 ratings — published 1981 — 89 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	An Area of Darkness: A Discovery of India 3.68 avg rating — 2,520 ratings — published 1964 — 65 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	India: A Million Mutinies Now 3.95 avg rating — 2,203 ratings — published 1990 — 25 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Enigma of Arrival 3.70 avg rating — 2,137 ratings — published 1987 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	India: A Wounded Civilization 3.71 avg rating — 1,949 ratings — published 1976 — 62 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by V.S. Naipaul…

Series by V.S. Naipaul

India Trilogy (3 books)
by

V.S. Naipaul

3.78 avg rating — 6,718 ratings

Willie Chandran (2 books)
by

V.S. Naipaul

3.22 avg rating — 6,027 ratings

Quotes by V.S. Naipaul (?)

“The only lies for which we are truly punished are those we tell ourselves.”
― V. S. Naipaul, In a Free State

2732 likes

“The world is what it is; men who are nothing, who allow themselves to become nothing, have no place in it.”
― V. S. Naipaul, A Bend in the River

tags: exile, naipaul, racism

198 likes

“Most people are not really free. They are confined by the niche in the world that they carve out for themselves. They limit themselves to fewer possibilities by the narrowness of their vision.”
― V.S. Naipaul

tags: expectations, free-will, freedom, lack-of-vision, limitations, peer-pressure

151 likes

See all V.S. Naipaul's quotes »

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V.S. Naipaul’s Followers (1,845)

V.S. Naipaul

Combine EditionsV.S. Naipaul’s books

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Topics Mentioning This Author

Combine Editions
V.S. Naipaul’s books