a berlin blog
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a berlin blog |
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Wednesday, March 31, 2004 V.S. NightfallHere's a critical piece from the Manchester Guardian about V.S. Naipaul's lunge to the right in Indian politics, and about some historical mistakes in his Indian writings. I like to read Naipaul, but not because I always agree with him: I like anyone who makes a strong contrary case.Which means I can't understand Jessa Crispin's response to Naipaul's politicking (on Bookslut): "The question arises: How much should a reader allow an author's personal life and political leanings affect their reaction to the author's books? The sensible answer is, of course, it shouldn't affect the reader at all..." Why? If you read enough Naipaul you realize that his politics are not private or even beside the point. A coherent politics is part of what it means to be not just a writer, to him, but a man. "I have no guiding political idea," he says, which is healthy and right, but he's also spent a long career building a careful view of the world — of politics, religion, power, revolution. His sniffy Oxonian tendencies aren't just a style. They belong to every word, every observation. By all means hate him for that. But also notice how he delivers light and heat. posted by Michael Scott Moore | 4:56 PM | |
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