VS Naipaul death anniversary: Enduring quotes by the Nobel Laureate

On VS Naipaul’s death anniversary, here’s revisiting some of his enduring words. (Designed by Gargi Singh/The Indian Express)

Trinidad-born Indian-origin author V S Naipaul’s life was mired in controversies. The Nobel Laureate impressed and infuriated readers and critics with his prose and words. The author was known for not withholding his opinions or his criticism when it came to politics, colonialism and religion. In 1971 he won the Booker Prize for his novel In a Free State and in 2001 he was awarded with the Nobel Prize.

Naipaul was often criticised for his unfavourable opinion on women writers. In 2011, in an interview at the Royal Geographic Society in 2011, he was asked if any woman writer was his literary match. His reply was a prompt no. “I don’t think so…I read a piece of writing and within a paragraph or two, I know whether it is by a woman or not. I think [it is] unequal to me,” he was quoted as saying, according to a report in The Guardian.

Notwithstanding this, Naipaul is often hailed as one of the most accomplished authors of the 20th century. His staggering brilliance was almost always at odds with his views. The author passed away on August 11, 2018.

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On his death anniversary, here’s revisiting some of his enduring words.

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VS Naipaul passed away on August 11, 2018. (Designed by Gargi Singh/The Indian Express) VS Naipaul passed away on August 11, 2018. (Designed by Gargi Singh/The Indian Express) VS Naipaul passed away on August 11, 2018. (Designed by Gargi Singh/The Indian Express) VS Naipaul passed away on August 11, 2018. (Designed by Gargi Singh/The Indian Express) VS Naipaul passed away on August 11, 2018. (Designed by Gargi Singh/The Indian Express) VS Naipaul passed away on August 11, 2018. (Designed by Gargi Singh/The Indian Express) VS Naipaul passed away on August 11, 2018. (Designed by Gargi Singh/The Indian Express) VS Naipaul passed away on August 11, 2018. (Designed by Gargi Singh/The Indian Express)

Which book by him is your favourite?