2008-08-09 Thoroughness overdone

The author certainly seems to have said all there is too say on his subject - and even more. `Be specific! Add detail!' is what the writing courses teach us. Well, this otherwise impressive piece of work is a fine showcase of how one can overdo it. The author had only to follow the writing advice of his subject (who in turn got it from his father) and the result would have been more readable and definitely a lot shorter. Still, it is an interesting read, at times even gripping, certainly for people already familiar with V.S. Naipaul. Those who like a quicker (though less accurate) insight into the man behind the genius should get the book by Paul Theroux.