Famous As: Trinidadian-Born British Writer Who Won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001
Born On: 1932
Died On: 2018
Born In: Trinidad and Tobago
Died At Age: 85
V.S. Naipaul is a distinguished British writer, novelist and short-story writer. He was inspired by his journalist father’s admiration towards writers and determined to become a writer at a very early age. After completing his graduation from the University of Oxford he was hired as a presenter of a BBC weekly program ‘Caribbean Voices’. He started his writing career with a short-story 'Bogart’ which although was not published but brought him an opportunity to publish his first novel ‘The Mystic Masseur’. He further wrote a travelogue portraying India during the sixties through his perspective. This was well-received by the masses which encouraged him to further write novels on India like ‘India: A Wounded Civilization’. His novel ‘A Bend in the River’ which described the life of Indian-Muslim shopkeeper’s life in an unknown African country was shortlisted for the ‘Booker Prize’. He is also well-known for his non-fiction novels including ‘India: A Million Mutinies Now’. His most notable work was ‘In a Free State’ which won him the ‘Man Booker Prize’. He was honored with the most reputed ‘Noble Prize in Literature’ for his contributions to the literary world. His thoughts, books, novels, fiction and non-fiction work have been able to strike a chord with the masses. We have excerpted his quotes from his wrtitings, speeches, views and general life. Here are few notable sayings and quotations by V.S. Naipaul which are sure to appeal you.
The only lies for which we are truly punished are those we tell ourselves.
V.S. Naipaul
The world is what it is; men who are nothing, who allow themselves to become nothing, have no place in it.
V.S. Naipaul
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
Non-fiction can distort; facts can be realigned. But fiction never lies.
Certain emotions bridge the years and link unlikely places.
V.S. Naipaul
On the front cover of Newsweek reviews "A House for Mr. Biswas" as "a marvelous prose epic that matches the best 19th century novels for richness of comic insight and final, tragic power.