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Between Father and Son: Family Letters
In 1950, after winning a scholarship from the government of Trinidad, V. S. Naipaul, aged seventeen, left home for the first time. Following a two-week journey by steamer, he arrived in Oxford, England, a world utterly removed from the one he had longed to escape and to which he would never really return. This extraordinary collection of letters gives us, as nothing published previously has, an intimate view of Naipaul's formative years.
It is a story of family members oceans apart, clinging to one another against the sadness of dislocation and The young Naipaul, desperate not for a degree but to become a writer and make his way in the world. His beloved sister Kamla, anxious and bewildered, away at school in India. And his melancholy but loving father, whose own broken dream of succeeding as a writer would be realized in the singular achievement of his son.
With the satisfactions of a novel, Between Father and Son portrays a deeply affecting family drama, even as it bears witness to the flowering of one of the great literary geniuses of the century.
It is a story of family members oceans apart, clinging to one another against the sadness of dislocation and The young Naipaul, desperate not for a degree but to become a writer and make his way in the world. His beloved sister Kamla, anxious and bewildered, away at school in India. And his melancholy but loving father, whose own broken dream of succeeding as a writer would be realized in the singular achievement of his son.
With the satisfactions of a novel, Between Father and Son portrays a deeply affecting family drama, even as it bears witness to the flowering of one of the great literary geniuses of the century.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1999
About the author
V.S. Naipaul
132 books1,668 followersNaipaul was born and raised in Trinidad, to which his grandfathers had emigrated from India as indentured servants. He is known for the wistfully comic early novels of Trinidad, the bleaker novels of a wider world remade by the passage of peoples, and the vigilant chronicles of his life and travels, all written in characteristic, widely admired, prose.
At 17, he won a Trinidad Government scholarship to study abroad. In the introduction to the 20th-anniversary edition of A House for Mr. Biswas, he reflected that the scholarship would have allowed him to study any subject at any institution of higher learning in the British Commonwealth, but that he chose to go to Oxford to do a simple degree in English. He went, he wrote, "in order at last to write...." In August 1950, Naipaul boarded a Pan Am flight to New York, continuing the next day by boat to London.
50 years later, 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."
At 17, he won a Trinidad Government scholarship to study abroad. In the introduction to the 20th-anniversary edition of A House for Mr. Biswas, he reflected that the scholarship would have allowed him to study any subject at any institution of higher learning in the British Commonwealth, but that he chose to go to Oxford to do a simple degree in English. He went, he wrote, "in order at last to write...." In August 1950, Naipaul boarded a Pan Am flight to New York, continuing the next day by boat to London.
50 years later, 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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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 20, 2008
Though it might not be for others, for me it is deeply moving and unbearably stirring. I suppose identify too much of it. Almost weep reading all those tender incredibly insightful exchanges; how a father and son , with no lineage to speak of, recognise each other's intellect and conspire in these letters to jump ahead by two generations all on their own. Cant write more. Shit.
February 28, 2021
Tus cartas son encantadoras por su espontaneidad. Si pudieras escribirme contándolo todo sobre las cosas y la gente de Oxford -especialmente sobre la gente-, las reuniría en un libro CARTAS ENTRE UN PADRE Y UN HIJO, o MIS CARTAS DE OXFORD. ¿Qué te parece? Kamla parece incapaz de eso. Tú si puedes hacerlo; estoy seguro.
October 31, 2017
Do you recall the time when the realization that you are now considered an ‘adult’ dawned on you? For some that could have been when they take on the responsibility of taking care of others, receive their first real paycheck or when the fruit of their loins screams into this world, and perhaps for others, that moment will always remain elusive.
I remember my moment clearly. I was reading a newspaper article about a person who had done something really bad, the details elude me though. The report then mentions his age, somewhere near the middle of the of the opening paragraph, you've read something similar before I reckon, it’s the sentence that goes something like this “the man, aged 20, was apprehended after an extensive…”.
That’s when it hit me. The ‘man’ was younger than I was at that stage. So, if I was caught doing something that I shouldn’t, the papers will classify me as ‘man’. Not a youth, not a boy, nor a child.
I told my dad that in our fortnightly letter. I was away from home and in those days without internet or mobile phones and prohibitive international phone calls, the blue papered aerograms were the main means of communication to the folks back home. We wrote to each other quite regularly the 12 months that I was under training, more than ever before and after.
The letters were a salve to cure the homesickness off being away, the pressure of a new venture and the loneliness of wanting to fit in a new group. Dad had beautiful writing. His cursive was elegant and stylish, bold strokes with the sign of practiced penmanship evident, honed from an era when that skill was highly valued and appreciated. Mine, in contrast, was abysmal and messy, still is to a large extent, unfortunately.
Letters are so different than words. They are able to build bridges and create special connections in ways that their verbal counterparts fail. And the act of creating thoughts to paper, takes extra effort and consideration, respect to the permanency that letters have. I kept and cherished those letters, now close to 3 decades in age. Priceless heirlooms in my reckoning. Now that dad is no longer with us, reading the letters brings to mind his voice to my ears, narrating the antics of mischievous younger siblings and news updates from home scene long past.
Picking up V.S Naipaul’s ‘Letters between a father and son’ ignited some of those thoughts. We bring our thoughts and memories when we read books, often using our own experiences to create links and shared connections. Perhaps that’s why I enjoyed this one immensely.
Vido (the younger Naipaul’s nickname) went off to Oxford to study, leaving his tropical sunny Trinidad for balmy Oxford. He tackles issues of food, exam stress, making friends and juggling financials while looking to cement his calling as a writer. The letters were peppered with intimate details shared between family members, the gossips, secrets, financial concerns, veiled jealousy, dreams, and concerns.
Plus, the letters between Vido and other family members, especially Kamla, his older sister, is included, adding a trifecta angle to the real-time narrative that the letters provide. The young author lays bare his insecurities, dreams, and hopes in his letters to his dad and sister. As the years go by, we see the boy turn slowly to a man, the letters providing an insight to how perhaps this Nobel winning author crafted some of his future stories. Through it all, his dad and other family members continue to be the stabilizing factor as the young man battles with his insecurities and concerns.
Reading someone else’s letters can be immensely interesting. Perhaps we all have voyeuristic tendencies that excite us when we get to delve into the innermost thoughts and feelings of others. The book was a quick read for me. Was a little sad when it was over.
I remember my moment clearly. I was reading a newspaper article about a person who had done something really bad, the details elude me though. The report then mentions his age, somewhere near the middle of the of the opening paragraph, you've read something similar before I reckon, it’s the sentence that goes something like this “the man, aged 20, was apprehended after an extensive…”.
That’s when it hit me. The ‘man’ was younger than I was at that stage. So, if I was caught doing something that I shouldn’t, the papers will classify me as ‘man’. Not a youth, not a boy, nor a child.
I told my dad that in our fortnightly letter. I was away from home and in those days without internet or mobile phones and prohibitive international phone calls, the blue papered aerograms were the main means of communication to the folks back home. We wrote to each other quite regularly the 12 months that I was under training, more than ever before and after.
The letters were a salve to cure the homesickness off being away, the pressure of a new venture and the loneliness of wanting to fit in a new group. Dad had beautiful writing. His cursive was elegant and stylish, bold strokes with the sign of practiced penmanship evident, honed from an era when that skill was highly valued and appreciated. Mine, in contrast, was abysmal and messy, still is to a large extent, unfortunately.
Letters are so different than words. They are able to build bridges and create special connections in ways that their verbal counterparts fail. And the act of creating thoughts to paper, takes extra effort and consideration, respect to the permanency that letters have. I kept and cherished those letters, now close to 3 decades in age. Priceless heirlooms in my reckoning. Now that dad is no longer with us, reading the letters brings to mind his voice to my ears, narrating the antics of mischievous younger siblings and news updates from home scene long past.
Picking up V.S Naipaul’s ‘Letters between a father and son’ ignited some of those thoughts. We bring our thoughts and memories when we read books, often using our own experiences to create links and shared connections. Perhaps that’s why I enjoyed this one immensely.
Vido (the younger Naipaul’s nickname) went off to Oxford to study, leaving his tropical sunny Trinidad for balmy Oxford. He tackles issues of food, exam stress, making friends and juggling financials while looking to cement his calling as a writer. The letters were peppered with intimate details shared between family members, the gossips, secrets, financial concerns, veiled jealousy, dreams, and concerns.
Plus, the letters between Vido and other family members, especially Kamla, his older sister, is included, adding a trifecta angle to the real-time narrative that the letters provide. The young author lays bare his insecurities, dreams, and hopes in his letters to his dad and sister. As the years go by, we see the boy turn slowly to a man, the letters providing an insight to how perhaps this Nobel winning author crafted some of his future stories. Through it all, his dad and other family members continue to be the stabilizing factor as the young man battles with his insecurities and concerns.
Reading someone else’s letters can be immensely interesting. Perhaps we all have voyeuristic tendencies that excite us when we get to delve into the innermost thoughts and feelings of others. The book was a quick read for me. Was a little sad when it was over.
November 24, 2015
I read this book when I didn't even know the word 'postcolonial' had anything to do with English Literature. Up to today I have not managed - and I am very sad about it - to read any fictional work by V.S.Naipaul. Judging from this book though, I am convinced his work is great. This book showed me a becoming writer who was already capable of such great writing and narration that I was drawn into this book from the very beginning. It is not just a volume of letters between father and son, but it is a book that gives us as readers many things - an impression of greatness, literature, home, family and how to find one's way.
I rarely read non-fiction but this book assured me that I should do it more often. V.S.Naipaul's letters show a writing flow that I have seen only in essays by Virginia Woolf so far.
I rarely read non-fiction but this book assured me that I should do it more often. V.S.Naipaul's letters show a writing flow that I have seen only in essays by Virginia Woolf so far.
November 5, 2013
After Alice Munro was awarded with the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature, I came across "Between Father and Son" from V. S. Naipaul, another Nobel Prize winner. From his work, this particular title caught my attention, the relation between father and son is an interesting one. I was really curious to see how the father/son relation emerged through their letters. What I found was a great read with the story of V.S. Naipaul when he emigrates to Britain. I loved seeing how much more open minded he was at that time
June 3, 2022
Succinct letter writers in the family, makes the compilation read like a novel.
June 18, 2018
a delightful read. it's made up of letters exchanged between the writer( studying in Oxford, England at that time, on a scholarship) and his father( from Trinidad, writer's homeland) and writer's sister( studying in India).
Father and son both share the passion for writing and thus advising and exhorting each other to write, some real good advices there.
the emotional support in those letters for each other was touching.
Father and son both share the passion for writing and thus advising and exhorting each other to write, some real good advices there.
the emotional support in those letters for each other was touching.
December 18, 2013
Of all of Naipaul's work, this might be the most personal and touching. By becoming a writer, he fulfills his father's dream and ambition. The collections of letters plus Naipaul's additional writing are pure prose with poetic touch. It is a book that can be reread many times.
October 31, 2023
Do you know? I got some Trinidad papers, read them, and found them hilariously absurd. I never realised before that the Guardian was so badly written, that our Trinidad worthies were so absurd, that Trinidad is the most amusing island that ever dotted a sea. The English are a queer people. Take it from me. The longer you live in England, the more queer they appear. There is something so orderly, and yet so adventurous about them, so ruttish, so courageous. Take the chaps in the college. The world is crashing about their heads, about all our heads. Is their reaction as emotional as mine? Not a bit. They ignore it for the most part, drink, smoke, and imbibe shocking quantities of tea and coffee, read the newspapers and seem to forget what they have read.
- Letters between A Father and Son by VS Naipul
.
.
The book compiled all letters between VS Naipul and his father. Sometimes, there are exchanges responses made between him with his sister, Kamla and mother. I think this is first book i have read that exclusively featured past letters. Since this was supposed to be personal with unfiltered / uncensored content, I can’t help but felt both V.S Naipul and his father is such a snob. Oftentimes, some of these letters has so many misogynistic remarks about women in general or just how women behaviour is unacceptable or lacked class. I actually felt sorry for Kamla because i can see how she placed both her father and brother on pedestal and idolised them. Sure, the letter is supposed to be personal exchange and just like how sometimes men justified their locker room talk as it was supposed to be a secret, i can’t help but assumed people would say the same thing about these letters - that they are supposed to be kept between father and son. There are some genuine feelings and interactions in these letters - when they both encouraged each other to purse writings, motivating each other to keep persevering and even advising each other on how to resolve some issues - specifically about V.S Naipul’s siblings. I was surprised to see that they did chide Kamla’s bad behaviour in the letters but overlooked how V.S Naipul overspent and keep on mingling with foreign girls but i guess, what son did don’t really count does it? These letters also demonstrated how V.S Naipul always? looked down on others (especially if he find them lacking in intellect and couldn’t keep up with him) - its either something wrong with them or some statements just affirming his opinions specifically when he talked about West Indian. The fact his father can simply expressed his disdain towards Negroes and Muslims as few of their relatives were dating outside their community and religion was not surprising at all as we can see how it shaped VS Naipul thinking. I tried really hard to find redeemable qualities of this book. Aside from how well it was written, the close bond he has with his sister, Kamla and father - i honestly cant say much. Is it sad? absolutely. After all, this is how parents used to keep in touch with their kids abroad. Imagine that your son lives across the world as he further his study in Oxford, UK and the only communication you can have with him is via letters. These letters got delayed and sometimes months to be delivered to the right person. That’s when the date in the book were mentioned to show the timeline of it. Overall, if you minus some of the misogynistic and racist remarks, you might find this book incredibly moving and insightful. After all, some of the prose in the book can be touching and heartfelt especially when they discussed about literature and writers. Sure both of them are the product of their time - if we want to be fair 😒 but if you cannot tolerate these 2 things, you may skip this book.
- Letters between A Father and Son by VS Naipul
.
.
The book compiled all letters between VS Naipul and his father. Sometimes, there are exchanges responses made between him with his sister, Kamla and mother. I think this is first book i have read that exclusively featured past letters. Since this was supposed to be personal with unfiltered / uncensored content, I can’t help but felt both V.S Naipul and his father is such a snob. Oftentimes, some of these letters has so many misogynistic remarks about women in general or just how women behaviour is unacceptable or lacked class. I actually felt sorry for Kamla because i can see how she placed both her father and brother on pedestal and idolised them. Sure, the letter is supposed to be personal exchange and just like how sometimes men justified their locker room talk as it was supposed to be a secret, i can’t help but assumed people would say the same thing about these letters - that they are supposed to be kept between father and son. There are some genuine feelings and interactions in these letters - when they both encouraged each other to purse writings, motivating each other to keep persevering and even advising each other on how to resolve some issues - specifically about V.S Naipul’s siblings. I was surprised to see that they did chide Kamla’s bad behaviour in the letters but overlooked how V.S Naipul overspent and keep on mingling with foreign girls but i guess, what son did don’t really count does it? These letters also demonstrated how V.S Naipul always? looked down on others (especially if he find them lacking in intellect and couldn’t keep up with him) - its either something wrong with them or some statements just affirming his opinions specifically when he talked about West Indian. The fact his father can simply expressed his disdain towards Negroes and Muslims as few of their relatives were dating outside their community and religion was not surprising at all as we can see how it shaped VS Naipul thinking. I tried really hard to find redeemable qualities of this book. Aside from how well it was written, the close bond he has with his sister, Kamla and father - i honestly cant say much. Is it sad? absolutely. After all, this is how parents used to keep in touch with their kids abroad. Imagine that your son lives across the world as he further his study in Oxford, UK and the only communication you can have with him is via letters. These letters got delayed and sometimes months to be delivered to the right person. That’s when the date in the book were mentioned to show the timeline of it. Overall, if you minus some of the misogynistic and racist remarks, you might find this book incredibly moving and insightful. After all, some of the prose in the book can be touching and heartfelt especially when they discussed about literature and writers. Sure both of them are the product of their time - if we want to be fair 😒 but if you cannot tolerate these 2 things, you may skip this book.
August 8, 2019
V.S Naipaul had been always tough to decipher irrespective of mt dad's constant praise and encouragement to read his works
Hell broke upon me when I had to read 'A HOUSE FOR MR. BISWAS' for an examination . All my earlier attempts were unsuccessful to understand this author. My gurus in English literature also could not provide aids to swim through "A HOUSE FOR MR. BISWAS'.
it was then I discovered 'LETTERS BETWEEN A FATHER AND SON' in a second hand book-shop in Bangalore (Bookworm to be precise)
With great courage I did initiate going through the letters and they were surprisingly amusing , unlike other literary works of the author.
The books has a compilation of letters primarily between Vidia (VS Naipaul), his sister Kamla (studying at BHU Banaras) and his journalist father staying in Trinidad.
The letters are exciting to read and began with an overview of the simplicity and humbleness of Vidia's father Sreeprasad. A man with meagre income but an impeccable taste in literature, art and selfless love for his family specially Vidia.
We also get a glimpse of the humble household and cunning maternal relatives that shaped Vidia's perspective towards his Trinidad. A major focus is on Vidia's life at Oxford (without being a book about Oxford University) , while his father's lectures on writing and literature is a priceless treasure.
Overburdened by responsibilities and aspirations, Sreeprasad's zeal to see Vidia achieve his unaccomplished achievements helped me understand the bitterness and honesty we see in his later writings (just an observation of my own)
This father and son duo were inseparable and it was Vidia who profusely encouraged Sreeprasad to not to give up with writing and finish his novel. The conversations related to laying the foundation of one such novel is very amusing to read. This bonding also helps in understanding the author in a personal way and wanted this conversation to go on for eternity.
Unfortunately the demise of Senior Naipaul halted this journey and the letters home can make you shed tears.
Vidia's love for his siblings is something very surprising. On one hand Kamla is like his partner in sheilding the family and younger ones like Mira, Sati , Savi , Shivan and infant Nalini are cared like his own children. The literary guidance addressed to the younger siblings happens to be my gateway to understand Milton's Paradise Lost.
Now that I know the man behind the undecipherable book, I am again planning to continue with 'A HOUSE FOR MR. BISWAS' in a hope to relive the beautiful bond the Naipaul family shared.
So winding up with 'LETTERS BETWEEN A FATHER AND A SON' , the raw material for 'A HOUSE FOR MR BISWAS' and planning to live his literary works. Maybe I might recommend V.S Naipaul to my children like my father.
Hell broke upon me when I had to read 'A HOUSE FOR MR. BISWAS' for an examination . All my earlier attempts were unsuccessful to understand this author. My gurus in English literature also could not provide aids to swim through "A HOUSE FOR MR. BISWAS'.
it was then I discovered 'LETTERS BETWEEN A FATHER AND SON' in a second hand book-shop in Bangalore (Bookworm to be precise)
With great courage I did initiate going through the letters and they were surprisingly amusing , unlike other literary works of the author.
The books has a compilation of letters primarily between Vidia (VS Naipaul), his sister Kamla (studying at BHU Banaras) and his journalist father staying in Trinidad.
The letters are exciting to read and began with an overview of the simplicity and humbleness of Vidia's father Sreeprasad. A man with meagre income but an impeccable taste in literature, art and selfless love for his family specially Vidia.
We also get a glimpse of the humble household and cunning maternal relatives that shaped Vidia's perspective towards his Trinidad. A major focus is on Vidia's life at Oxford (without being a book about Oxford University) , while his father's lectures on writing and literature is a priceless treasure.
Overburdened by responsibilities and aspirations, Sreeprasad's zeal to see Vidia achieve his unaccomplished achievements helped me understand the bitterness and honesty we see in his later writings (just an observation of my own)
This father and son duo were inseparable and it was Vidia who profusely encouraged Sreeprasad to not to give up with writing and finish his novel. The conversations related to laying the foundation of one such novel is very amusing to read. This bonding also helps in understanding the author in a personal way and wanted this conversation to go on for eternity.
Unfortunately the demise of Senior Naipaul halted this journey and the letters home can make you shed tears.
Vidia's love for his siblings is something very surprising. On one hand Kamla is like his partner in sheilding the family and younger ones like Mira, Sati , Savi , Shivan and infant Nalini are cared like his own children. The literary guidance addressed to the younger siblings happens to be my gateway to understand Milton's Paradise Lost.
Now that I know the man behind the undecipherable book, I am again planning to continue with 'A HOUSE FOR MR. BISWAS' in a hope to relive the beautiful bond the Naipaul family shared.
So winding up with 'LETTERS BETWEEN A FATHER AND A SON' , the raw material for 'A HOUSE FOR MR BISWAS' and planning to live his literary works. Maybe I might recommend V.S Naipaul to my children like my father.
April 23, 2013
I found it interesting that so many more people rated this book more highly that Naipaul's novels. Perhaps it is because we get a glimpse behind the grumpy, cynical facade so often presented in his typical novels. The exchange of correspondence between Naipaul and his dad illustrates much of the fears , hopes and observations that shaped who he would become.
As a native of Trinidad and an aspiring writer, I found an early fascination with Naipaul's work but recognized that the island had changed considerably both politically and socially from the place he described. His experience is also rural and of Indian descent while I was raised in a middle class environment by a strong and successful father.
This brings me to my strongest impression imparted by these letters; that Naipaul's father so often belittled in his novels, so often the target of Naipaul's disappointment, was a sensitive and nurturing influence on the young student-writer-to-be. More than any other single factor this gave me a clear view of the Nobel laureate's natural born cynicism. There is greatness in the man - no doubt - but it is tempered with an almost irrational bitterness or perhaps it is merely a clearer view of the world's shortcomings than is apparent to most of us.
As a native of Trinidad and an aspiring writer, I found an early fascination with Naipaul's work but recognized that the island had changed considerably both politically and socially from the place he described. His experience is also rural and of Indian descent while I was raised in a middle class environment by a strong and successful father.
This brings me to my strongest impression imparted by these letters; that Naipaul's father so often belittled in his novels, so often the target of Naipaul's disappointment, was a sensitive and nurturing influence on the young student-writer-to-be. More than any other single factor this gave me a clear view of the Nobel laureate's natural born cynicism. There is greatness in the man - no doubt - but it is tempered with an almost irrational bitterness or perhaps it is merely a clearer view of the world's shortcomings than is apparent to most of us.
December 23, 2013
I must say this has been an eye opener for me, the love in the letters, and the relationship the son had with each of this parents, especially his father, and siblings.
I didn't know of have read any of the author's works before so I quite enjoyed learning about him and his family first.
Well worth reading book.
I didn't know of have read any of the author's works before so I quite enjoyed learning about him and his family first.
Well worth reading book.
October 20, 2018
Beautiful, tragic - a writer's guide, the letters between the young Naipaul, leaving his agricultural-plantation colony for Oxford, and his beloved father, who would work his whole life as a journalist aspiring to be a novelist. It follows VS Naipaul's departure through the acceptance of "Miguel Street" for publication. Will re-read.
July 12, 2015
Loved this book, a collection of open honest letters between family members. Will read his books now!
September 21, 2017
It's a really good book. I loved the rawness in it. It's not written by a famous author or his equally famous father, it's written by a father and son who knows what writing is all about, they live for writing and they put their heart and soul into it. That's what all their discussions are all about. They pull each other up and keep reminding themselves that they have what it takes to be an intriguing and sensible storyteller. Yes they do lament about their financial conditions but they take it in their stride (especially his father). The letters keep painting a picture of Trinidad and Oxford and London, at times Paris and a bit of Benares too. So you keep shuttling between all these cities and across continents. Naipaul wasn't a very obedient son but he sure as hell loved his family especially his father and you can feel that through the letters, his father ofcourse loved all his kids but then Vido had a special place because in a way Vido's life, his accomplishments, his journey to Oxford, his experiences were a continuation of what his own life could be like, had he had the resources. I loved the exchange. Also such brilliant titles have been mentioned in the book by both of them, that it was hard not to make a list of those and harbour hopes of reading them myself one day.
August 6, 2018
Es un libro no de literatura pues como lo dice el título del mismo son cartas fechadas mientras Naipaul se encuentra estudiando lejos de su familia y su natal Trinidad y Tobago 🇹🇹 en la Universidad de Oxford en Inglaterra, las aventuras del premio Nobel de literatura 2001 de su propio puño y letra, sus sueños, su progreso y sus ganas de regresar a un lado de la familia para ayudarla.
No es una obra de las llamadas "importantes" del escritor pero si una de las fundamentales para entender sus principios y su desarrollo dentro del mundo literario y cultural.
Frases:
La ignorancia es una bendición, mientras que es locura ser sabio.
A veces, en nuestra soledad misma, produces algo nuevo, que no podrías producir de otro modo. (Padre de Naipaul)
No es una obra de las llamadas "importantes" del escritor pero si una de las fundamentales para entender sus principios y su desarrollo dentro del mundo literario y cultural.
Frases:
La ignorancia es una bendición, mientras que es locura ser sabio.
A veces, en nuestra soledad misma, produces algo nuevo, que no podrías producir de otro modo. (Padre de Naipaul)
December 10, 2023
I was lazily browsing the titles on the shelves of a bookstore in Waterloo Street when this book jumped out at me. The author's name caught my eye first. I had always wanted to read the works of V.S.Naipaul. And what better place to start than a series of actual letters written between the members of the Naipaul family in the 1950s
I simply adored this book and it took me a good few weekends of lazy reading and re-reading to finish it. It made me yearn for the lost art of letter writing in a way I only feel when I read letters written long ago between members of my own family.
A wonderful read for anyone who wants to witness the creation of a stellar writer in it's rawest form.
I simply adored this book and it took me a good few weekends of lazy reading and re-reading to finish it. It made me yearn for the lost art of letter writing in a way I only feel when I read letters written long ago between members of my own family.
A wonderful read for anyone who wants to witness the creation of a stellar writer in it's rawest form.
January 15, 2022
For me, the book was a little boring. And in between, I realized that I am feeling nothing about this book. I was just blankly reading it, while I love books where I feel for characters, cry with them, feel happy with them.
I would say, I didn't like this book.
I would say, I didn't like this book.
September 5, 2021
I learnt not only about the Naipauls but about literatures as well: what to read and how to read; and what not to read. I like the writing as well.
May 3, 2014
"Estoy convencido de que los escritores escriben porque quieren escribir."
Leer la correspondencia de alguien más siempre ha sido algo tentador. ¡Cuánto más debe ser leer la correspondencia de un Nobel en ciernes!
Personalmente no he tenido el placer (me atrevo a adelantarlo) de leer una novela de Naipaul. Pero sin duda agregaré El Sanador Místico y The Adventures of Gurudeva (de su padre) a la lista de próximas lecturas.
Mientras más leo literatura epistolar más me convenzo de que fue (es?) el medio de comunicación por excelencia (después de hablar frente a frente, claro). La tecnología y demás ha hecho que nuestras capacidades cuantitativas de comunicación se expandan, pero en detrimento de la calidad de las mismas.
Precisamente mientras leía las cartas me preguntaron si alguna vez he escrito una. Y la verdad es que no, no lo he hecho. No aún...
Recomiendo el libro a todos aquellos que estudian fuera de su lugar de origen. He vivido la experiencia y solo viviéndola puede uno atreverse a juzgar la forma en que se tratan temas personales en las cartas.
Leer la correspondencia de alguien más siempre ha sido algo tentador. ¡Cuánto más debe ser leer la correspondencia de un Nobel en ciernes!
Personalmente no he tenido el placer (me atrevo a adelantarlo) de leer una novela de Naipaul. Pero sin duda agregaré El Sanador Místico y The Adventures of Gurudeva (de su padre) a la lista de próximas lecturas.
Mientras más leo literatura epistolar más me convenzo de que fue (es?) el medio de comunicación por excelencia (después de hablar frente a frente, claro). La tecnología y demás ha hecho que nuestras capacidades cuantitativas de comunicación se expandan, pero en detrimento de la calidad de las mismas.
Precisamente mientras leía las cartas me preguntaron si alguna vez he escrito una. Y la verdad es que no, no lo he hecho. No aún...
Recomiendo el libro a todos aquellos que estudian fuera de su lugar de origen. He vivido la experiencia y solo viviéndola puede uno atreverse a juzgar la forma en que se tratan temas personales en las cartas.
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November 7, 2009Letters Between a Father and Son: Early Correspondence Between V.S.Naipaul and Family by V.S. Naipaul (1999)
December 13, 2014
A good companion for a foreign student from a country which had been colonized.
February 3, 2016
Enjoyed thoroughly. Set off from home at 18 and within even before returning home after graduation, has V.s Naipaul become a writer
May 11, 2009
Heerlijk boek over hoe iemand een schrijver wordt.
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September 13, 2017This is a great book. If you are an immigrant in a new country, especially from the Caribbean. You will connect with V.S Naipaul and his experiences during his time at Oxford.
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