From the Bookshelf of Constant Reader…

A House for Mr Biswas

V.S. Naipaul

Start date: June 1, 2010

Finish date: July 1, 2010

Discussion: Classics Corner

Discussion leader: Jim

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 349 topics — 11,850 comments total

Classics Corner

* The Schedule for July through Dec. 2025
By Lynn · 3 posts · 36 views

last updated Jun 25, 2025 08:25PM

Classics Corner ~ Loon Feather
By Ann · 5 posts · 17 views

last updated Jul 25, 2025 05:32PM

showing 3 of 3 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Apr 06, 2009 Kecia rated it really liked it

Shelves: nobel_laureates, times_100_best, trinidad

Welcome to the Monkey House! Naipaul tells the story of Mr. Biswas with elegance and humor. Mr. Biswas has a friend, Misir, who writes stories and early in the novel Misir says, "But life is like that. Is not a fairy-story. No once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-rajah nonsense." Indeed the life of Mr. Biswas is not a fairy-story. It is full of the ups and downs of real life. A person trying to get from one day to the next the best way he knows how, not unlike the vast majority of humanity.

At the end o ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Sep 29, 2018 Michael rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: unquestionable-favorites

Dark yet whimsical, the black comedy of Naipaul exudes painful, calm, deliberate, and harrowing insight into the universal human psyche, the double-edged sword of the plights and opportunities of modernity, and the unavoidably trying cultural affect of the marriage of both. Symbolically masterful and psychologically searing, A House for Mr. Biswas remains a must-own for every collector of the classics.

Like · see review

Jun 10, 2010 Jim rated it liked it

Hapless whining character for whom everything goes wrong. A long time to spend with a disagreeable man

Like · see review

May 16, 2010 Rashida added it

Shelves: will-finish-later

Got about 1/3 of the way through this before deciding it just isn't my cup of tea. Maybe later. ...more

Like · see review

Oct 23, 2007 Monica marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Paul hated this book so should I bother? Maybe I'd love it but 592 pages are daunting. I did like a book by Naipaul but darned if I know what it was, probably Guerillas. I don't think it was Miguel Street. Should it go in the donation box???

---

8/10 I may have donated it but I found another copy. ...more

Like · see review