Authors: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

26 Prominent V.S. Naipaul Quotes

Famous As: Trinidadian-Born British Writer Who Won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001
Born On: August 17, 1932
Died On: August 11, 2018
Born In: Trinidad and Tobago
Died At Age: 85
V.S. Naipaul is a distinguished British writer, novelist and short-story writer. He was inspired by his journalist father’s admiration towards writers and determined to become a writer at a very early age. After completing his graduation from the University of Oxford he was hired as a presenter of a BBC weekly program ‘Caribbean Voices’. He started his writing career with a short-story 'Bogart’ which although was not published but brought him an opportunity to publish his first novel ‘The Mystic Masseur’. He further wrote a travelogue portraying India during the sixties through his perspective. This was well-received by the masses which encouraged him to further write novels on India like ‘India: A Wounded Civilization’. His novel ‘A Bend in the River’ which described the life of Indian-Muslim shopkeeper’s life in an unknown African country was shortlisted for the ‘Booker Prize’. He is also well-known for his non-fiction novels including ‘India: A Million Mutinies Now’. His most notable work was ‘In a Free State’ which won him the ‘Man Booker Prize’. He was honored with the most reputed ‘Noble Prize in Literature’ for his contributions to the literary world. His thoughts, books, novels, fiction and non-fiction work have been able to strike a chord with the masses. We have excerpted his quotes from his wrtitings, speeches, views and general life. Here are few notable sayings and quotations by V.S. Naipaul which are sure to appeal you.
Listed In:
The only lies for which we are truly punished are those we tell ourselves.

The only lies for which we are truly punished are those we tell ourselves.

V.S. Naipaul
The world is what it is; men who are nothing, who allow themselves to become nothing, have no place in it.

The world is what it is; men who are nothing, who allow themselves to become nothing, have no place in it.

V.S. Naipaul
Most people are not really free. They are confined by the niche in the world that they carve out for themselves. They limit themselves to fewer possibilities by the narrowness of their vision.

Most people are not really free. They are confined by the niche in the world that they carve out for themselves. They limit themselves to fewer possibilities by the narrowness of their vision.

V.S. Naipaul
Non-fiction can distort; facts can be realigned. But fiction never lies.

Non-fiction can distort; facts can be realigned. But fiction never lies.

V.S. Naipaul
After all, we make ourselves according to the ideas we have of our possibilities.

After all, we make ourselves according to the ideas we have of our possibilities.

V.S. Naipaul
It is wrong to have an ideal view of the world. That's where the mischief starts. That's where everything starts unravelling...

It is wrong to have an ideal view of the world. That's where the mischief starts. That's where everything starts unravelling...

V.S. Naipaul
His ignorance seemed to widen with everything he read.

His ignorance seemed to widen with everything he read.

V.S. Naipaul
Like many isolated people, they were wrapped up in themselves and not too interested in the world outside.

Like many isolated people, they were wrapped up in themselves and not too interested in the world outside.

V.S. Naipaul
It isn't that there's no right and wrong here. There's no right.

It isn't that there's no right and wrong here. There's no right.

V.S. Naipaul
And it was strange, I thought, that sorrow lasts and can make a man look forward to death, but the mood of victory fills a moment and then is over

And it was strange, I thought, that sorrow lasts and can make a man look forward to death, but the mood of victory fills a moment and then is over

V.S. Naipaul
Small things start us in new ways of thinking

Small things start us in new ways of thinking

V.S. Naipaul
[In]the too solid three-dimensional city, I could never feel myself as anything but spectral, disintegrating, pointless, fluid.

[In]the too solid three-dimensional city, I could never feel myself as anything but spectral, disintegrating, pointless, fluid.

V.S. Naipaul
Life is a helluva thing. You can see trouble coming and you can't do a damn thing to prevent it coming. You just got to sit and watch and wait.

Life is a helluva thing. You can see trouble coming and you can't do a damn thing to prevent it coming. You just got to sit and watch and wait.

V.S. Naipaul
Certain emotions bridge the years and link unlikely places.

Certain emotions bridge the years and link unlikely places.

V.S. Naipaul
On the front cover of Newsweek reviews

On the front cover of Newsweek reviews "A House for Mr. Biswas" as "a marvelous prose epic that matches the best 19th century novels for richness of comic insight and final, tragic power.

V.S. Naipaul
Some lesser husbands built a latrine on the hillside.

Some lesser husbands built a latrine on the hillside.

V.S. Naipaul
Paradise seemed further away than India, but Hell had become a bit closer

Paradise seemed further away than India, but Hell had become a bit closer

V.S. Naipaul
Government that breaks its own laws can also easily break you.

Government that breaks its own laws can also easily break you.

V.S. Naipaul
It was in that garage that Alec worked, no longer wearing red bodices or peeing blue, but doing mysterious greasy things.

It was in that garage that Alec worked, no longer wearing red bodices or peeing blue, but doing mysterious greasy things.

V.S. Naipaul
Doing many more things until it seemed that ritual had replaced grief.

Doing many more things until it seemed that ritual had replaced grief.

V.S. Naipaul
A complying memory has obliterated many of them and edited my childhood down to a brief cinematic blur.

A complying memory has obliterated many of them and edited my childhood down to a brief cinematic blur.

V.S. Naipaul
How we flounder when emotion overtakes us.

How we flounder when emotion overtakes us.

V.S. Naipaul
But the people I found, the people I was attracted to were not unlike myself. They were trying to find order in their world, looking for the centre..

But the people I found, the people I was attracted to were not unlike myself. They were trying to find order in their world, looking for the centre..

V.S. Naipaul
Anybody can be decisive during a panic; it takes a strong man to act during a boom.

Anybody can be decisive during a panic; it takes a strong man to act during a boom.

V.S. Naipaul
More than England to the British West Indian or even Holland to the Surinamer, France is the mother country to the Martiniquan.

More than England to the British West Indian or even Holland to the Surinamer, France is the mother country to the Martiniquan.

V.S. Naipaul
It was a light which gave solidity to everything and drew colour out from the heart of objects.

It was a light which gave solidity to everything and drew colour out from the heart of objects.

V.S. Naipaul