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The Enigma of Arrival
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The Enigma of Arrival Paperback - 2002

by V. S. Naipaul


About this book

An autobiography for the most part, the book is composed of five sections reflecting the growing familiarity and changing perceptions of Naipaul upon his arrival in various countries. 

The majority of the action takes place in Wiltshire, England, where Naipaul has rented a cottage in the countryside. He sees the area around his cottage as a frozen piece of history, unchanged for hundreds of years. However, during his extended stay at this cottage where he is working on another novel, he notices the area for what it is: a forever changing place with ordinary people simply existing away from the rest of the world. This causes the author to reflect upon the nature of perceiving our surroundings and how much these perceptions are affected by our preconceptions.  

He reflects on his own emigration from Trinidad to New York City, and his following removal to England and Oxford. Naipaul’s novel illustrates the growing understanding of his place in this new environment and the complicated relations of the people and land around them. 

From the publisher

V. S. Naipaul was born in Trinidad in 1932. He has published more than 20 books of fiction and nonfiction, including A House for Mr. Biswas, A Bend in the River, The Enigma of Arrival and An Area of Darkness. He lives in Wiltshire, England. He was knighted in 1990 and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001.

First Edition Identification

The book was first published in 1987 by Viking Press, London, in hardcover format  with 318 pages. 

Published in 1987 by Alfred A. Knopf, New York. This edition has black cloth over green boards with titles in gilt to upper board and spine, 354 pages. 


Details

  • Title The Enigma of Arrival
  • Author V. S. Naipaul
  • Binding Paperback
  • Pages 368
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Vintage Books Canada, New York
  • Date 2002-01-15
  • ISBN 9780676975161 / 067697516X
  • Weight 0.81 lbs (0.37 kg)
  • Dewey Decimal Code FIC

Media reviews

"An elegant memoir, a subtly incisive self-reckoning." —Washington Post Book World

"Far and away the most curious novel I've read in a long time, and maybe the most hypnotic book I've ever read." —St. Petersburg Times

"The conclusion is both heart-breaking and bracing: the only antidote to destruction — of dreams, of reality — is remembering. As eloquently as anyone now writing, Naipaul remembers." —Time

"V.S. Naipaul is a man who can inspire readers to follow him through the Slough of Despond and beyond… Like a computer game [this book] leads the reader on by a series of clues, nearer and nearer to an understanding of the man and the writer. Few memoirs can claim as much." —Newsday

About the author

V. S. Naipaul was born in Trinidad in 1932. He has published more than 20 books of fiction and nonfiction, including A House for Mr. Biswas, A Bend in the River, The Enigma of Arrival and An Area of Darkness. He lives in Wiltshire, England. He was knighted in 1990 and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001.
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The Enigma of Arrival

The Enigma of Arrival

by V.S. Naipaul

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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780676975161 / 067697516X
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Show Details

Description:
Vintage Canada, 2002. Paperback. Good. Disclaimer:A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact. The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include previous owner inscriptions. At ThriftBooks, our motto is: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
NZ$17.73
FREE shipping to USA