V S Naipaul,Paul Theroux end 15-year feud,says report

Naipauls wife,Nadira,told The Independent: Paul approached him and said he missed him. It was very gracious and wonderful of him. So that is the end to the literary feud.

According to the report,Theroux spoke at the festival on Saturday. He saw Naipaul arrive and then went upto Naipaul and offer his hand in friendship,which was accepted.

The report recalled that Naipaul and Theroux had met in Kampala,Uganda,in 1966. Naipaul,whose reputation had been sealed by his 1961 work A House for Mr Biswas,took Theroux under his wing and introduced him to the London literary scene.

However the relationship soured as Theroux became critical of Naipauls writing and called him a misogynist. In 1996,when they were sharing a stage at the Hay Festival,Naipaul refused to acknowledge Theroux.