I first read VS Naipaul, the Nobel laureate, Booker prize winning author, in \~1980. I read Guerillas first, then A Bend in the River, and finally A House for Mr. Biswas.
My AP English teacher in high school was a big fan, and noted that the themes in the book reflected the racism and misogyny inherent in colonialism and patriarchal societies. So I always took that at face value.
Through the years I re-read Guerillas a few times in the 80s, then not until last year. I picked up and re-read Mr. Biswas in \~2015. But have just started re-reading A Bend in the River.
I found Mr. Biswas the best – it is so charming and in my opinion every bit as skillfully written as his later work. Guerillas I still really like but typical misogyny really stands out – he describes the men, but leers at the women in a judgmental way before eventually degrading them. It really detracts from the work.
But I am only \~10% into A Bend in the River and feel the racism and misogyny really smack me in the face from the start – and that is even before the worst of it even starts to kick in!
The most recent posts about him are from \~5+ years ago, so wondering what thoughts are now – or has he been tossed on the dustbin of history at this point?
by txa1265