Early on Sunday, the world woke up to the news that V.S. Naipaul, the Trinidad-born Nobel laureate and author of over 30 books, died in London aged 85. The literary world in particular was saddened by the loss and many took to Twitter to offer their condolences and memories of the writer.
Here's a statement from Naipaul's wife, Nadira Khannum Alvi :
"He was a giant in all that he achieved and he died surrounded by those he loved having lived a life which was full of wonderful creativity and endeavour.”
Author and fellow Booker Prize winner Salman Rushdie said he felt he had lost an older brother.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his death was a major loss to the world of literature.
Patrick French , Naipaul's biographer, tweeted these pictures
Suketu Mehta , author of Maximum City and professor, talked about his 'fierce integrity'.
British novelist and journalist Hari Kunzru , in a series of tweets said:
"I interviewed VS Naipaul for BBC TV. When we sat down, the first thing he said was ‘tell me what you’ve read and don’t lie.’ Only then would he consent to be questioned. I made Naipaul cry. I knew he rarely signed books and probably wouldn’t want to put his name on some paperback so I found a 1st of Mr Biswas. He saw it and broke down. Everyone v alarmed. ‘I haven’t seen one of these for so long,’ he said, when he recovered himself.
"He did sign the book. We were in the room (now part of a hotel) where he had written radio scripts for the BBC when he first came to the UK. The producer was terrified of him. There was a list of taboo subjects. Islam, Theroux etc. I had to promise not to bring them up. As I remember he did end up talking about Islam."
Moroccan-American novelist Laila Lalami , in a series of tweets said:
"Just hearing news that V.S. Naipaul has died. He was a wonderful stylist and a terrible curmudgeon. At his best, he could write with great tenderness and good humor about people whose lives were erased by colonial narratives. At his worst, he joined in those racist narratives.
"A House for Mr. Biswas is a perfect example of the tenderness Naipaul was capable of when he wanted. His willingness to replicate existing power dynamics in his work can be found in A Bend in the River.
“The world is what it is; men who are nothing, who allow themselves to become nothing, have no place in it,” Naipaul once wrote. I suspect he spent a great deal of time worrying about his place in the world, and that this fear guided much of his work.
"Despite his faults—and Lord knows there were many—I learned a great deal from his work and from his prose style. My last novel, The Moor’s Account, would not be the same if I had not read his books."
Author Jeet Thayil called him an awful man and a brilliant writer:
Writer and historian Ramachandra Guha commented on Naipaul's fascinating life:
American Hindu teacher and author David Frawley tweeted:
Will always remember #VSNaipaul for his India: A Million Mutinies Now - a book that opened the minds of millions to the real situation in India and the need for cultural unity that is essential for India to rise again today.
President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted:
"Sad to learn of the passing of V.S. Naipaul whose books are an penetrative exploration of faith, colonialism and the human condition, in his home in the Caribbean and beyond. A loss for the world of letters and for the broader school of Indo-Anglian literature."
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik tweeted:
“Saddened to learn about the passing away of celebrated author & Nobel laureate #VSNaipaul. His works exploring colonisation, migration & unraveling of the British empire were exemplary & thought-provoking.”
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted:
"Deeply saddened to learn about the death of literary giant and Nobel Laureate Shri #VSNaipaul. He has inspired a whole generation of writers. In his death the world loses a genius today. Offering my prayers to the departed soul."
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted:
“My condolences on the passing away of Nobel Laureate #VSNaipaul - a literary giant and a modern philosopher who enthralled and influenced the world with his keen observations, creativity and often critical descriptions. May his soul rest in peace.”
