V.S. Naipaul

V.S. Naipaul’s Followers (1,788)

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V.S. Naipaul


Born
in Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago
August 17, 1932

Died
August 11, 2018

Genre

Influences


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
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Average rating: 3.7 · 82,906 ratings · 7,297 reviews · 190 distinct worksSimilar authors
A House for Mr Biswas

3.80 avg rating — 22,275 ratings — published 1961 — 139 editions
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A Bend in the River

3.77 avg rating — 18,735 ratings — published 1979 — 4 editions
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Miguel Street

3.95 avg rating — 5,270 ratings — published 1959 — 87 editions
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In a Free State

3.50 avg rating — 5,396 ratings — published 1971 — 2 editions
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Half a Life

3.24 avg rating — 4,645 ratings — published 2001 — 86 editions
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Among the Believers : An Is...

3.86 avg rating — 2,488 ratings — published 1981 — 84 editions
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An Area of Darkness: A Disc...

3.68 avg rating — 2,449 ratings — published 1964 — 62 editions
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India: A Million Mutinies Now

3.95 avg rating — 2,166 ratings — published 1990 — 62 editions
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The Enigma of Arrival

3.69 avg rating — 2,059 ratings — published 1987 — 36 editions
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India: A Wounded Civilization

3.72 avg rating — 1,867 ratings — published 1976 — 63 editions
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More books by V.S. Naipaul…
An Area of Darkness: A Disc... India: A Wounded Civilization India: A Million Mutinies Now
(3 books)
by
3.78 avg rating — 6,510 ratings

Half a Life Magic Seeds
(2 books)
by
3.22 avg rating — 5,676 ratings

Quotes by V.S. Naipaul  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

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

“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

“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

Polls

2nd Qtr (Apr-Jun) 2021 Long Read Poll

Dune by Frank Herbert, 1965, 604 pages
 
  60 votes, 25.1%

 
  53 votes, 22.2%

The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann, 1924, 706 pages
 
  34 votes, 14.2%

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, 1985, 960 pages
 
  33 votes, 13.8%

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, 1995, 603 pages
 
  25 votes, 10.5%

Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace, 1996, 1088 pages
 
  22 votes, 9.2%

A House for Mr Biswas by V.S. Naipaul, 1961, 623 pages
 
  12 votes, 5.0%

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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Terminalcoffee: This topic has been closed to new comments. VS Naipul: Women Writers Suck 6 50 Jun 02, 2011 10:16AM