"A single conversation with a wise man is better than ten years of study." - Chinese proverb

Charlie Rose's interview with Naipaul on Jan 25, 2000 provides a fascinating insight into a brilliant mind.



His thoughts on death:

"One must always writes ones book, the work one's doing, as though it is the last. You musn't be holding anything back. So at any moment I would feel I have done my work."

the guy's last name sounds like Nepal,

Raazstone -

According to Mr Naipaul, you might be onto something there! This is what he said when accepting the Nobel Prize:

"We made no inquiries about India or about the families people had left behind. When our ways of thinking had changed, and we wished to know, it was too late. I know nothing of the people on my father's side; I know only that some of them came from Nepal. Two years ago a kind Nepalese who liked my name sent me a copy of some pages from an 1872 gazetteer-like British work about India, Hindu Castes and Tribes as Represented in Benares; the pages listed - among a multitude of names -those groups of Nepalese in the holy city of Banaras who carried the name Naipal. That is all that I have."

Source: - http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/2001/naipaul-lecture-e.html

i heard a similar story. I read one of his books where he talks about his travel back to India and how everyone was interested in seeing him because he was doing good or something. Written really well though.

Great Article Captain!!

Talent Proust says! :)
Luck and Labor VS says - my kinda guy!

Very interesting !
love reading his books...

he looks schizhophrenic in the interview something that is commomn in great men, women writers leaders and philosophers. and i find it quite scary to see the way he blinks his eyes so much. About the way he reacts to paul theroux..i don't understand the relationship between them. It looks like they dont like each other the way they write.i think paul therouxs book "the railway bazaar"" is a good read.

about his origin, naipul must be someone from a displaced family during the mughal empire. his remarks that his relatives were from nepal could be bacause of the conflict in that era.His interests in hinduism n muslim stems from the fact that his forefathers were from Indian subcontinent and were displaced by the british..when mughal and hindu empire were in chaos at that time.

Looks schizophrenic?He he ... I don't think he'd be too flattered to hear that :)

Getting to watch Naipaul interviews on your tele screen is always a rare treat - he is one big reclusive literary figure that I know - second only to Salinger perhaps!

Thanks for the clip, Capt.. .Now tell me, does he also, like Rushdie, have a 30 yr old voluptuous wife? :-) Some charm it holds for women of beauty eh - your brilliant mind. Doesn't matter even if you were 'unhandsome' or were a cross between Woody Allen and an African Hippo! :-)

My advanced Christmas greetings - have a good one!
Carpe diem

"Now tell me, does he also, like Rushdie, have a 30 yr old voluptuous wife? :-) Some charm it holds for women of beauty eh - your brilliant mind. Doesn't matter even if you were 'unhandsome' or were a cross between Woody Allen and an African Hippo! :-) "

Commandant -

Ha ha ha ..... I know she is/was a journalist but not sure how old she is - I do wonder though :).

What was that saying about the way to a man's heart is through his stomach and the way to a woman's stomach is through her head ...

Aight, enuff of the silly talk. Have a great Sunday.

My best wishes to you too for Christmas, New Years, Kwanza, Hanuukah and the winter solstice :)

"What was that saying about the way to a man's heart is through his stomach and the way to a woman's stomach is through her head ... "

:):):):):):):):):):) bingo!

Have a good Sunday.

"....and the way to a woman's stomach is through her head ... ""

hehe
true true true - sohrai ana

:)