The Naipauls of Nepaul Street

by Savi Naipaul Akal

This is a moving story of a family’s beginnings, growth and, in the context both of time and Trinidadian society, its inevitable dispersal. Savi Naipaul Akal’s memoir pays tribute to remarkable parents, so different but equal in importance to their large family. It is an account of family loyalty, sacrifice, and sometimes tensions. Through this focus, the memoir also gives a sharply observed picture of cultural change in Trinidad from colony to independent nation, of being Indian in a Creole society, of the role of education, and her parents’ encouragement of herself and her sisters to make independent lives for themselves. The memoir gives an acute analysis of the pressures that led many of the family to emigrate, but also of the good lives made by Savi and her husband that led them to “put down their bucket” and stay. Above all, this memoir offers the pleasure of writing which is elegant and lucid, with a distinctively personal voice.

210 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2018

Reviews

[Shane Rajiv · Rating 3 out of 5]

The odd thing about this book is what it attempts to cover and how. It’s billed as a memoir but sometimes feels like a biography. Towards the end it feels like the author is setting scores, complaining about the behaviour of her immediate family. Issues are found with others, never the author.

There is a great focus on addresses and at one point there is a series of random paragraphs about people who live in different houses near hers, in Valsayn. So that feels random and disconnected.

It shines when it tries to explain the political and historical aspects of Trinidad, some of which was new to me. This family has been written about so much and the author writes so as to explain even more. As so much is already written by VS and Shiva, this isn’t a must read. Instead a different perspective on a very specific family. Very niche.

[BajanReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting memoir.