Paul Theroux: Sir Vidia's Shadow - a friendship across five
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SuduNona
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Paul Theroux: Sir Vidia's Shadow - a friendship across five
This is a book about friendship, protégés, mentors and apprenticeships. Theroux, in a very open, human yet critical manner, has produced not only his autobiography but contained within it, the biography of V.S. Naipaul.
In 2001 V.S. Naipaul won the Nobel Prize for literature for his book 'A House for Mr Biswas' (1961). He is considered the leading novelist to emerge from the English-speaking Caribbean and his work explores the disorder created by the collapse of empire and the alienation of the individual.
Theroux's book chronicles his thirty year friendship with Naipaul, who he called Vidia, and begins with their first meeting in Uganda in 1996. Their early years set the mentor/protégé relationship. Theroux was an unknown American of 24 and Vidia nine years his senior, but in terms of world experience, cynicism and his status as a published and well respected author, much, much older.
Slowly, over the decades Theroux becomes a recognised author in his own right, the glow and awe of Vidia begins to wear off and after the second marriage of Vidia to Nadira, a Pakistani journalist, in 1996 Theroux starts to see Vidia with true eyes. '(He) was deeply flawed.... I was ashamed to say he treated people badly..... I was afraid of him.... but I admired his talent.'
People often suggested that Theroux write about Vidia but he resisted as he knew this would mean 'Scrutinising his character and giving voice to feelings of disappointment and being truthful. It was much simpler to overlook Vidia's faults.'
It wasn't until Vidia publically snubbed him in a London street and he opened a rare-book catalogue to find one of his first editions, inscribed to his mentor, for sale at £1,500 that Theroux felt he was set free to write the book from a position of strength. 'A book celebrates an ending, a finale.' This release he now had.
I very much like the Theroux's blatant honesty about both Vidia and himself. Theroux comes over as very human, Vidia cold and cruel, in not just his opinion but as described in numerous spats reported in the press. Whereas Vidia hides behind his sense of moral superiority in all things, Theroux spares himself no part of his own past, his weakness and love of women, marriage breakup, his insecurities and worries, excuses for Vidia's cruelty and humiliation of others and his ever need to absolve his friend's behaviour. There is a tender balance in the book between Theroux's outright obsession for his mentor and the sympathy you feel for his need for guidance and professional support in what both describe as the very lonely world of the writer.
I would give this book 4 stars for its excellent writing, its humanity and unique format. It is very easy to read, engaging throughout and really gives the reader an insight into the respective lives and roles of mentor/protégé along with the challenges of being a writer.
In 2001 V.S. Naipaul won the Nobel Prize for literature for his book 'A House for Mr Biswas' (1961). He is considered the leading novelist to emerge from the English-speaking Caribbean and his work explores the disorder created by the collapse of empire and the alienation of the individual.
Theroux's book chronicles his thirty year friendship with Naipaul, who he called Vidia, and begins with their first meeting in Uganda in 1996. Their early years set the mentor/protégé relationship. Theroux was an unknown American of 24 and Vidia nine years his senior, but in terms of world experience, cynicism and his status as a published and well respected author, much, much older.
Slowly, over the decades Theroux becomes a recognised author in his own right, the glow and awe of Vidia begins to wear off and after the second marriage of Vidia to Nadira, a Pakistani journalist, in 1996 Theroux starts to see Vidia with true eyes. '(He) was deeply flawed.... I was ashamed to say he treated people badly..... I was afraid of him.... but I admired his talent.'
People often suggested that Theroux write about Vidia but he resisted as he knew this would mean 'Scrutinising his character and giving voice to feelings of disappointment and being truthful. It was much simpler to overlook Vidia's faults.'
It wasn't until Vidia publically snubbed him in a London street and he opened a rare-book catalogue to find one of his first editions, inscribed to his mentor, for sale at £1,500 that Theroux felt he was set free to write the book from a position of strength. 'A book celebrates an ending, a finale.' This release he now had.
I very much like the Theroux's blatant honesty about both Vidia and himself. Theroux comes over as very human, Vidia cold and cruel, in not just his opinion but as described in numerous spats reported in the press. Whereas Vidia hides behind his sense of moral superiority in all things, Theroux spares himself no part of his own past, his weakness and love of women, marriage breakup, his insecurities and worries, excuses for Vidia's cruelty and humiliation of others and his ever need to absolve his friend's behaviour. There is a tender balance in the book between Theroux's outright obsession for his mentor and the sympathy you feel for his need for guidance and professional support in what both describe as the very lonely world of the writer.
I would give this book 4 stars for its excellent writing, its humanity and unique format. It is very easy to read, engaging throughout and really gives the reader an insight into the respective lives and roles of mentor/protégé along with the challenges of being a writer.
