The Path to Auto Discovery

Naipaul does not offer a broad picture of his past and his influences; instead, this is a brief sketch, addressing only certain aspects of his writing-life. But it is expertly done: it is a pleasure to read, and it does offer considerable insight into Naipaul as writer.
       Naipaul tells of deciding to become a writer at a young age -- but acknowledges that for most of his youth his ambition "was a kind of sham". He didn't write (having little occasion, need, or desire to do so), and he didn't read much either. It is a disarming admission, not what one expects from someone who became such a prolific author. But his certainty about his destiny -- his ability to continue to think of himself as a writer, even when there were no indications he would become one -- is also striking.

       There is little detail, about the individual books and the circumstances of their creation, but what he does reveal is fascinating. So of his first travel book: "I didn't know how to travel for a book", he explains. The novel, he also says, seems to have served its purpose and run its course. He believes that our time "needs another kind of interpretation". 
       Not as burdened with a tradition to uphold as are, perhaps, Western authors he looks constantly forward, to novelty and change. He sees them as both necessary and desirable. He comes to the conclusion in a roundabout manner, barely mentioning any of the authors and works that might be invoked as counter-examples of this notion, putting only half the argument on the table. It is a statement that demands more attention than he gives it -- and this casual broaching of larger issues is one of the few disappointments of his essay.

       Naipaul is a craftsman -- and clever, too. He expresses himself easily and clearly (though his skill also allows him to manipulate the reader, as he perhaps too readily does). This small book is worth reading for a number of reasons, but among them is just to appreciate his facility with expression.