Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1729 in Books
• Published on: 2008-04-04
• Released on: 2008-03-31
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

Sunday Times 100 best holiday reads
'Few subjects have ever been as candid with their biographers as Naipaul, in this eye-opening life'

Spectator
'A brilliant biography: exemplary in its thoroughness, sympathetic but tough in tone...'

Literary Review
'Patrick French has brought off something very difficult, so difficult indeed that I would have thought it impossible.'

Customer Reviews

Sir Vid or Without
Meticulously researched.Fair but brave.Well balanced.Dramatically gripping.Illuminating.Proves that himself is the most enigmatic character
Sir V.S.Naipaul ever created.

The world is what it is.
This is a terrific autobiography of Sir V S Naipaul. Patrick French's style of writing is very economic, real page turner- and it helps that he has chosen such a writer. I am not going to comment on the controversial politics of V S Naipaul, but there are lines in this book that make you laugh out loud. For days afterwards! Here's what Naipaul said on hearing about the fatwa against Salman Rushdie, ''It's an extreme form of literary criticism.''

I wished there had been a chapter devoted to the craft of writing and his writing influences for all aspiring writers. His favourite author 'Balzac...I suppose.' Just makes you laugh.

Sir V S Naipaul has also opened himself to real public scrutiny, brutaly honest. When everything is taken into account this honesty has to be admired. There will be many in depth reviews to follow I'm sure - but I highly recommend this book.