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Product Description
Product Description
The great novel of Africa from the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Book Description
‘Brilliant and terrifying’ Observer Set in an unnamed African country, the book is narrated by Salim, a young man from an Indian family of traders long resident on the coast. He believes The world is what it is; men who are nothing, who allow themselves to become nothing, have no place in it. So he has taken the initiative; left the coast; acquired his own shop in a small, growing city in the continent’s remote interior and is selling sundries – little more than this and that, really – to the natives. This spot, this ‘bend in the river’, is a microcosm of post-colonial Africa at the time of Independence: a scene of chaos, violent change, warring tribes, ignorance, isolation and poverty. And from this rich landscape emerges one of the author’s most potent works – a truly moving story of historical upheaval and social breakdown. ‘Naipaul has fashioned a work of intense imaginative force. It is a haunting creation, rich with incident and human bafflement, played out in an immense detail of landscape rendered with a poignant brilliance.’ Elizabeth Hardwick ‘Always a master of fictional landscape, Naipaul here shows, in his variety of human examples and in his search for underlying social causes, a Tolstoyan spirit’ John Updike
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have had this book sitting on my bookshelf for many years and I finally got around to reading it. I knew of its iconic status and reputation. I also knew a little bit about the author - a man who seemed detached and a little vain - as if being labelled a great author had some special spiritual significance for him.
The pace and rhythm of the book was like a gentle wave lapping onto some deserted island shore - unrelenting and after a while a little monotonous. The prose was clear and uncluttered. It was certainly easy to read. But for most of the time I was looking forward to finishing the book and nothing particularly captivated my attention and spurred me on with any relish.
The trouble with books that come with a reputation of greatness is that you feel compelled to believe the hype and to recognise the greatness in every sentence and paragraph. For me - a good reading experience does not exist in lingering over the choice of certain words to catch the incredible insight of that choice. That is purist nonsense. Overall I found the reading experience a little tedious and low-key. Undoubtedly it gives an account of the experience of migrants to Africa, of the lack of cohesion in society, and the ever present dangers of bush and village life - and this was insightful - but Salim (our protagonist) was a little dull and detached - which is how I imagine the author to be.
We have philosophical musings about the nature of society and civilisations (especially from Indar - a friend of Salim) - and the concept of individualism is explored in some depth. All very worthy, and I am sure, important.
But - these musings can be better accessed in polemical debates or articles from newspapers.
If greatness lies in the choice of subject matter then for those who regard the African and migrant experience to be important then this is a great book. But it is not a great read - it lacks a strong story line and the characters are remote and faintly drawn.
What is the author trying to convey? I am not sure. But he comes up with no answers to his questions. In my opinion - this is not a Great book as it is lacking in warmth and any real and sympathetic understanding of human kind: too remote and spartan.
The pace and rhythm of the book was like a gentle wave lapping onto some deserted island shore - unrelenting and after a while a little monotonous. The prose was clear and uncluttered. It was certainly easy to read. But for most of the time I was looking forward to finishing the book and nothing particularly captivated my attention and spurred me on with any relish.
The trouble with books that come with a reputation of greatness is that you feel compelled to believe the hype and to recognise the greatness in every sentence and paragraph. For me - a good reading experience does not exist in lingering over the choice of certain words to catch the incredible insight of that choice. That is purist nonsense. Overall I found the reading experience a little tedious and low-key. Undoubtedly it gives an account of the experience of migrants to Africa, of the lack of cohesion in society, and the ever present dangers of bush and village life - and this was insightful - but Salim (our protagonist) was a little dull and detached - which is how I imagine the author to be.
We have philosophical musings about the nature of society and civilisations (especially from Indar - a friend of Salim) - and the concept of individualism is explored in some depth. All very worthy, and I am sure, important.
But - these musings can be better accessed in polemical debates or articles from newspapers.
If greatness lies in the choice of subject matter then for those who regard the African and migrant experience to be important then this is a great book. But it is not a great read - it lacks a strong story line and the characters are remote and faintly drawn.
What is the author trying to convey? I am not sure. But he comes up with no answers to his questions. In my opinion - this is not a Great book as it is lacking in warmth and any real and sympathetic understanding of human kind: too remote and spartan.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
[...]
I came to this book by way of recent reading about the Congo. This book is mainly set there, though the country is never named, either as Congo or Zaire. But 'The Big Man', who exerts a distant and baleful influence on events from 'the Capital', is clearly Mobutu. Even his infamous leopard skin hat and fetish stick are described in some detail. But he is never named.
There are many fine qualities to this book. For this white, western European reader, the perceptions and attitudes of the protagonist, an Arab African, are fascinating and refreshing or slightly disconcerting, depending on the context. The author is West Indian by birth but he came to England to study and that has been a lasting influence on his writing. The sensibility of the colonized is a key theme of this book. It is hard to imagine it being so powerfully delineated by someone who has no lived experience of it.
The language is spare and undemonstrative. This becomes hypnotic for the reader and creates an affinity for the languor and aimlessness of some of the characters. It also lends understatement and enigma to the dramatic events that unfold later in the book.
The book also has much to say about the nature of Africa and Africans but seen from the perspective of the outsider - 'the man apart'. It is quizzical, implying of some inner space impenetrable to those not born there.
There are some recurrent, metaphorical, motifs - the invasive water lilies that arrived with the Europeans but which now damage local food production and the way they float down the river, on and on, endlessly; the optimism of the protagonist's mentor, which survives many vicissitudes, finally coming to rest in London's Gloucester Road; and the lure and repulsiveness of Europe for those over whom its influence is unchosen but irresistible.
I confess I did not enjoy the only other book by this author I have read, 'A House for Mr Biswas'. Maybe I was too young to appreciate it. 'A Bend in the River' is a good book, dealing with serious issues. It is a bit of a slow burn and the denouement is slightly hurried. But for anyone with an interest in how cultures understand and misunderstand each other, it is required reading.
I came to this book by way of recent reading about the Congo. This book is mainly set there, though the country is never named, either as Congo or Zaire. But 'The Big Man', who exerts a distant and baleful influence on events from 'the Capital', is clearly Mobutu. Even his infamous leopard skin hat and fetish stick are described in some detail. But he is never named.
There are many fine qualities to this book. For this white, western European reader, the perceptions and attitudes of the protagonist, an Arab African, are fascinating and refreshing or slightly disconcerting, depending on the context. The author is West Indian by birth but he came to England to study and that has been a lasting influence on his writing. The sensibility of the colonized is a key theme of this book. It is hard to imagine it being so powerfully delineated by someone who has no lived experience of it.
The language is spare and undemonstrative. This becomes hypnotic for the reader and creates an affinity for the languor and aimlessness of some of the characters. It also lends understatement and enigma to the dramatic events that unfold later in the book.
The book also has much to say about the nature of Africa and Africans but seen from the perspective of the outsider - 'the man apart'. It is quizzical, implying of some inner space impenetrable to those not born there.
There are some recurrent, metaphorical, motifs - the invasive water lilies that arrived with the Europeans but which now damage local food production and the way they float down the river, on and on, endlessly; the optimism of the protagonist's mentor, which survives many vicissitudes, finally coming to rest in London's Gloucester Road; and the lure and repulsiveness of Europe for those over whom its influence is unchosen but irresistible.
I confess I did not enjoy the only other book by this author I have read, 'A House for Mr Biswas'. Maybe I was too young to appreciate it. 'A Bend in the River' is a good book, dealing with serious issues. It is a bit of a slow burn and the denouement is slightly hurried. But for anyone with an interest in how cultures understand and misunderstand each other, it is required reading.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The book is well written and the language is lyrical without being overblown or pretentious. However, I found the book somewhat boring: I did not like any of the characters and I found them all pretty dull. The protagonist in particular reminded me of Oliver Twist - he meandered through the novel and rarely initiated any action - things happened to him and he responded. But unlike Oliver Twist there were no colourful characters surrounding him.
I couldn't recommend this book - there are others out there and time is short.
I couldn't recommend this book - there are others out there and time is short.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
One of the best novels I have ever read
What's going on with these other reviewers?! Are they reading the same book? People talk of works of genius and over congratulate mediocrity, but I think this book is worthy of the... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Tristy
high point in Naipal's career
This is one of those novels that can haunt the imagination for the rest of the reader's life. It is a true masterpiece of exploratory fiction, from the opening paragraph, "The... Read more
Published 9 months ago by rob crawford
Difficult but worth it
"The world is what it is; men who are nothing, who allow themselves to become nothing, have no place in it. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Larts
A+ historical novel
What an exceptional novel this is! It is the tale of Salim who left his family home on the East African coast to start a business in central Africa at a town on the bend in the... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Pieter
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