Naipaul renders their lives and the legends their neighbors construct around them with dickensian verve and chekhovian. Naipaul s miguel street is one of the authors earlier books set in trinidad. It is a delightful read, very different from his later works like bend of the river and the enigma of arrival. An astonishing novel about hope, despair, poverty and laughter. Read miguel street online free book in epub, txt or pdf. The author lived with his family in luis street in the 1940s, and this has been taken to be the model of miguel street. The book is essentially a set of interconnected short stories, each one concentrating on a separate character on miguel street. Naipauls book is that it presents a world of its own excellently. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of miguel street by v. Naipaul, is a beguiling book about growing up in the west indies. Free download or read online miguel street pdf epub book. This is unlike any other naipaul i have read so far. Published in 1959, miguel street is set during world war ii on miguel street located in port of spain, the capital of trinidad and tobago. The time of that world is the late nineteen thirties and most of the nineteen forties on a sunny slum.
Mel gussow, newsday miguel street is the bowery, the tenderloin, and the catfish row of trinidads port of spainits citizens a loony multitude whose knavery often rises from real kinship with pathos and tragedy. Naipauls first written work of fiction, is set in a derelict corner of port of. The sketches are written lightly, so that tragedy is understated and. Biswas and miguel street are my favorite naipaul books. I have read his work backwards starting with his later novels and then moving on to the earlier ones a small write up by tarun tejpal inside the book recommends miguel street and the mystic masseur for first time readers of naipaul. Deutsch thought a novel would have more success, and encouraged naipaul to write one. The main characters of this fiction, short stories story are. Today, luis street has no outward signs of having inspired naipauls novel miguel street. Reviewed in the united kingdom on november 28, 2012.
Naipaul s first written work of fiction, is set in a derelict corner of port of spain, trinidad, during world war two and is narrated by an unnamed, precociously observant neighbourhood boy. Most books set in this time period occur where the war was actively. But to its residents this derelict corner of trinidads capital is a. We are introduced to a galaxy of characters, from popo the carpenter, who neglects his livelihood to build the wild thing without a. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. A stranger could drive through miguel street and just say slum. We are introduced to a galaxy of characters, from popo the carpenter, who neglects his livelihood to build the wild thing without a name, to manman, who goes from running for. Although a collection of short stories bound together in one book is seldom called a novel. The stories draw on the authors childhood memories of port of spain. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 224 pages and is available in paperback format. The first edition of the novel was published in june 1st 1959, and was written by v.
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