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7th out of 295 books
—
32 voters
Miguel Street
by
V.S. Naipaul
“A stranger could drive through Miguel Street and just say ‘Slum!’ because he could see no more.” But to its residents this derelict corner of Trinidad’s capital is a complete world, where everybody is quite different from everybody else. There’s Popo the carpenter, who neglects his livelihood to build “the thing without a name.” There’s Man-man, who goes from running for...more
Paperback, 224 pages
Published
July 23rd 2002
by Vintage
(first published June 1st 1974)
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Miguel Street probably ranks as the most poignant work of art I have ever read, stirring inside of me emotions that no piece of literature has ever had the power of doing. From the narrator's perspective, we are introduced to every character in his vicinity, portraying the diversity and the interaction between them. From banter to jokes, laughs and sorrow, intellectual conversations and heated arguments, this is a community within Trinidad where everything that happens in Miguel Street is nothin...more
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Miguel Street was my least favorite of the books we have read for the course thus far. After reading the last page my initial reaction was, "That wasn't that good." Over the past few hours I have been processing it and have since developed more appreciation for Naipaul's insight. In fact, I have realized that it was not the text I disliked, but rather, the idea that women really were and continued to be treated in so many disrespectful ways. Additionally, domestic violence played a dominant role...more
Naipaul's third novel about a bunch of colorful characters living in a street in Port of Spain. This is unlike any other Naipaul i have read so far. I have read his work backwards starting with his later novels and then moving on to the earlier ones (a small write up by Tarun Tejpal inside the book recommends MIGUEL STREET and THE MYSTIC MASSEUR for first time readers of Naipaul).
MIGUEL STREET is not without its share of misery and darkness but it is generally a hilarious novel tracing the antic...more
MIGUEL STREET is not without its share of misery and darkness but it is generally a hilarious novel tracing the antic...more
Miguel Street written by V.S. Naipaul is a breathtaking novel about the people. The narrator, whose name is never revealed, recalls his encounters and memories with each one of the people living on Miguel Street. As the novel progresses, the narrator grows up and develops his own identity. V.S. Naipaul provides the reader with an insight of the life in Trinidad and Tobago, the life of the black community and more specifically, the life of a colonized black community. The search for identity, cor...more
To be quite honest, this book wasn't so bad. I kind of liked it.
Review coming soon.
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As for the author, uh, he has something interesting things to say sometimes...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/...
He felt that women writers were "quite different". He said: "I read a piece of writing and within a paragraph or two I know whether it is by a woman or not. I think [it is] unequal to me."
The author, who was born in Trinidad, said this was because...more
Review coming soon.
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As for the author, uh, he has something interesting things to say sometimes...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/...
He felt that women writers were "quite different". He said: "I read a piece of writing and within a paragraph or two I know whether it is by a woman or not. I think [it is] unequal to me."
The author, who was born in Trinidad, said this was because...more
1 like · like · see review
Naipaul effectively pieces together the individual stories of various members of Miguel Street, as observed through the central narrator--a young man reflecting upon his childhood, from a physical and emotional distance. The layers of the novel and the textured lives of its characters resoundingly prove that Miguel Street is not merely a "slum," as a stranger would conclude from "driv[ing] through Miguel Street." Rather, it is a "world, where everybody [is] quite different from everybody else."...more
Heard of Twice bitten third time shy..
Well even I haven’t and neither did I apply, when I read the third book of VS Naipaul.. on suggestion by a friend (thanks Adnan). The first two being disasters making me think how can he ever get a Nobel for literature..
Though even this book was not Nobel certifying but it was just nice.. you might have read books based on plots, stories, twists, heroes.. but this book is solely dedicated to the CHARACTERS..
The character sketch is just beautiful, judging...more
Well even I haven’t and neither did I apply, when I read the third book of VS Naipaul.. on suggestion by a friend (thanks Adnan). The first two being disasters making me think how can he ever get a Nobel for literature..
Though even this book was not Nobel certifying but it was just nice.. you might have read books based on plots, stories, twists, heroes.. but this book is solely dedicated to the CHARACTERS..
The character sketch is just beautiful, judging...more
1 like · like · see review
I found Miguel Street to be a simple, yet rewarding, mosaic (a very familiar sight in Latin America). I found myself nostalgic for a place I've never visited, confused by idiosyncrasies I couldn't relate to, and sometimes led astray by the subtle disparities expressed through the personal growth of the anonymous narrator.
I was initially lured into a complacent reading of this novel by its simple approach, in terms of language and structure, to complex issues such as gender relations and a searc...more
I was initially lured into a complacent reading of this novel by its simple approach, in terms of language and structure, to complex issues such as gender relations and a searc...more
2 likes · like · see review
reading this book was like experiencing the pleasure as a child of squishing vibrant finger paints between my fingers and slowly smearing them onto a sheet of white paper. the colors ran together and jumped off of each other and filled the white page with intriguing images. 'miguel street' is a masterpiece of character development, colorful imagery, caribbean flavor, and charming story-telling. the short stories are street-smart yet tender, narrated with the wisdom, innocence, and insight of a y...more
4 likes · like · see review
Let no one fool you into thinking that just because this book is set in the beautiful island of Trinidad, that somehow it will pander to the stereotype of the Caribbean as being an idyllic eco-paradise filled with mirth and tranquillity. In fact, VS Naipaul's utterly bleak and ultra-realistic depiction of war-time pre-independence Trinidad could be summed up as hilariously misanthropic at worst and desperately hopeless at best.
I first read this book when I was around seventeen, back when I was...more
I first read this book when I was around seventeen, back when I was...more
I really enjoyed reading this book and is a must read for anyone who considering visiting the country. As a primer on Trinidadian culture, the book contains many references to the island's mix of European, East Indian, Asian, and African heritage. However, the author deals with really sensitive issues specific to the island, i.e. the horrible treatment of women and the cultural and racial caste system, through the innocent eyes of a teenage narrator. By having a young narrator that doesn't polit...more
Miguel Street, put simply, is a story about a corner in Port of Spain, Trinidad and its inhabitants. For the purposes of this story, V.S Naipaul develops colorful characters with their own unique personality traits that range from psychotic to humorous and yet that are easily identifiable by the readers. Using these colorful characters, Naipaul shapes the many universal yet complicated emotions of love, hope and jealousy into a story about life and its many unpredictable phases for the inhabitan...more
Miguel Street, a novel made up of short stories telling the lives of people related in some way to the central main character, depicted clearly for me what Trinidadian "slum life" was without putting the characters in a solely despondent setting. Naipaul successfully portrays several different archetypes, all of which contribute to the overall Trinidadian identity that he so well constructs for the reader.
In my opinion, this novel was interesting and fast-paced, yet it was very unfulfilling. Be...more
In my opinion, this novel was interesting and fast-paced, yet it was very unfulfilling. Be...more
Miguel Street is a poor neighborhood in Port of Spain. This book, which is called after this neighborhood, takes the reader into exploring the life of its inhabitants through the perspective of a boy who lives there. The life stories of these people might seem absurd for those who live outside of this neighborhood, but for those who live in it, it all makes sense because it is all they know. All of the characters of the book share something in common—they are victims of poverty and are trapped i...more
Taken as a whole, Naipaul’s collection of vignettes produces a total effect on the reader far greater than the sum of its parts. Chock-full of colorful characters, the narrator finds hilarity and sadness in each of their stories before moderating and contextualizing these emotions through the refracted lens of other residents on Miguel Street. Together this community tackles economic challenges and marital difficulties with a pragmatic attitude that allows them to make the most of the little the...more
I found this novel to be a unique and interesting chronicle of life in Trinidad during the 1940s. It is told from the advantageous perspective of a narrator who grew up right in the middle of Miguel Street, yet also has escaped from the street and so has a new, broader outlook on his childhood experiences. The work is an excellent reflection of the culture of the Anglophone Caribbean, but also contains many universal themes and elements as well. Naipaul illustrates a very vivid picture of life o...more
I didn't love Miguel Street, but I still thought it was a fascinating read. In his book, Naipaul describes the inhabitants of Miguel Street, a neighborhood in Port of Spain, Trinidad, which the narrator admits that some people would call a "slum." I knew next to nothing about Trinidad before reading the book and felt that I came away with a basic understanding of the cultural values and concerns of the people of the island nation, especially during the time period in which the work is set (World...more
The time of that world is the late Nineteen Thirties and most of the Nineteen Forties on a sunny slum street in Port of Spain. Here the young narrator of the story and his Hindu relatives live within a colourful community.
Vivid characters with tenuous means of support populate the place. They sing the latest Calypso songs and interest themselves in cricket matches and collect junk and talk about migrating across the narrow sea to Venezuela. If their attitude toward morals is informal it is shown...more
Vivid characters with tenuous means of support populate the place. They sing the latest Calypso songs and interest themselves in cricket matches and collect junk and talk about migrating across the narrow sea to Venezuela. If their attitude toward morals is informal it is shown...more
1 like · like · see review
V.S. Naipaul’s novel Miguel Street takes readers directly into the epicenter of life in the slums in Trinidad’s city Port of Spain during the years before and during WWII. The novel does not simply track the intricacies and experiences of one individual but instead focuses on many different yet interrelated individuals. As a result the reader is presented with essentially a mosaic of life in the slum that is Miguel Street. Through this “mosaic” which contains violence and humor, misery and glee,...more
Miguel Street is definitely my favorite book that we have read thus far! I think that what I enjoyed the most about this book is the way that Naipaul weaves the biographies of so many different characters into the fabric that is Miguel Street. Through the individual short stories about the interesting and eclectic characters that make up the community I was able to get a thorough snap shot into Trinidadian culture.
Overall, it was the layout of the book that probably kept me reading. I really li...more
Overall, it was the layout of the book that probably kept me reading. I really li...more
1 like · like · see review
V.S. Naipul's "Miguel Street" was an enjoyable, entertaining read. Comprised of seventeen separate chapters, each an individual "story" about a different character from Miguel Street, the novel flows easily without deeply complex themes to follow. Each of these accounts of different people are unified by the fact that each character is described from the perspective of the young narrator. This novel reminded me of the movie "City of God" in that it did have this one narrator, and also because of...more
V.S Naipaul’s Miguel Street is not only a coming of a young age novel about a young boy; it is also a depiction of the everyday struggles of life in Trinidad. The book is constructed of individual short stories connected by a single innocent narrator to create a novel. Each chapter serves to introduce a different aspect about life on Miguel Street and the talented individuals that make up the community. Gender relationships are thoroughly explored as the narrator learns about what is deemed acce...more
I really enjoyed this memoir of living life in Trinidad in the 1930s and 40s. As a reader, I enjoyed this book because of its playful rhythm of narration - the narrator tells the story of his coming of age through his childhood eyes. Things and people are described in atypical ways, and opinions and observations are frank and honest.
The interjections of Carnival tunes admist dialogue mirrors the structure of the book - the lyrics that move along a complete song are like the individual houses al...more
The interjections of Carnival tunes admist dialogue mirrors the structure of the book - the lyrics that move along a complete song are like the individual houses al...more
V.S. Naipaul's Miguel Street takes us on a journey through a rather less-fortunate street of Trinidad's Port of Spain. The narrator's youthful years and various encounters with certain characters generate a personality for Miguel Street as a whole. The post-WWII culture of Trinidad is established and reinforced through struggling individuals and their irrational treatment of women and each other. The male-dominated Miguel Street presents a window into the many minds of the poorer class and their...more
Feb 28, 2010
Jasmine
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Carolina
Recommended to Jasmine by:
LACS 256-Washington & Lee Course
A good book is a portal to new places, a window to different cultures, and a looking glass for foreign customs, and Miguel Street meets all these expectations. The location acts as the steady backdrop to all the changes that occur throughout the novel. Many people die or leave throughout the novel, but regardless of all the transitions, there is always Miguel Street. However, the liveliness of Miguel street is directly affected by the people who inhabit it. In other words, the people make Migue...more
Miguel Street is a work of the ordinary man. It provides a glimpses into the lives of the everyday residents of Miguel Street and gets at what makes those residents the way they are now. Through this work not only do we get to see into the minds of the residents of Miguel Street but we all begin to understand that social hierarchal dynamics that rule the street, the changes the residents experience during times of war and hardship, and familial dynamics which seem to run the street. If you have...more
Feb 26, 2010
Smatarese
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Caribbean Studies, Post-Colonial Studies
Recommended to Smatarese by:
W&L LACS 256
Set on the street for which the novel is named in Trinidad’s capital of Port-of-Spain, V.S. Naipaul’s novel Miguel Street relates the stories of life and loss in a small, closely knit community from 1939 to the post World War II period, ending before Trinidad and Tobago declared independence from Great Britain. The narrator of the novel, who remains nameless throughout, relates stories and anecdotes about his neighbors, friends and community members, all of whom form a microcosm of the cultural...more
Feb 22, 2010
Catherine Anderson
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone!
Recommended to Catherine by:
Washington & Lee University
In Miguel Street, V. S. Naipaul depicts the intricacies of life in a Trinidad slum. The fact that the novel is formatted as a collection of specific stories about individual characters adds to the notion that the Miguel Street slum is more complicated than an outsider might assume and that each of its residents is a complete individual rather than a mere shadow of a stereotype. Following the narrator as he describes the people he sees on a daily basis in an almost legendary way, the reader is ab...more
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Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad "V. S." Naipaul was awarded the 2001 Nobel Prize in Literature "for having united perceptive narrative and incorruptible scrutiny in works that compel us to see the presence of suppressed histories."
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“Look, boys, it ever strike you that the world not real at all? It ever strike you that we have the only mind in the world and you just thinking up everything else? Like me here, having the only mind in the world, and thinking up you people here, thinking up the war and all the houses and the ships and them in the harbour. That ever cross your mind?”
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4 people liked it
“A stranger could drive through Miguel Street and just say “Sum!” because he could see no more. But we who lived there saw our street as a world, where everybody was quite different from everybody else. Mam-man was mad; George was stupid; Big Foot was a bully; hat was an adventurer; Popo was a philosopher; and Morgan was our comedian.”
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2 people liked it
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