Rating: 
Summary: Theroux a hissy fit.
Review: Theroux's popular travel books often carry silly subtitles like this one. A kind of half-memoir detailing the epic (length) friendship between Theroux and the great V.S.Naipaul. The book has drawn some cheap criticism for its obvious one-sidedness and gallant, wounded posturing on the part of the young Theroux, whose friendship with Naipaul deteriorated under strange circumstances. What remains is a book full of Theroux's weaknesses as a writer (he has always seemed to have taken Naipaul's advice "Tell the truth" to an illogical conclusion - everything in there, regardless of its arguable relevance, so that Theroux's writing carries the breezy mish-mash feeling of first draft), yet the book is shot through with love in the way that only veterans of love can understand it. Filial, bewildered, adoring and petty, the portrait of Naipaul is indelible. The book reveals (at last) that the world of letters may be the most damaging and lethal of all Beaux Arts. Worth arguing about...or arguing with, anyway. Paul.
Rating: 
Summary: Booker Prize-Worthy
Review: This book was given to me for my birthday and I've just finished it reading and is absolutely recommendable for those who sometimes have thought about the strange mechanisms of friendship. We accept the other with its defects and without competitions in between. Theroux, famous author of travel stories, describes his friendship with a spoiled, racist and quick-tempered Naipaul, but the most interesting side of the book is the mentor-pupil experience they built along 30 years. A relationship constructed by letters, visits and calls that give account of the creative process of two famous authors (Naipaul received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2001).
Rating:
Summary: Unofficial Biography
Review: This may be the most interesting book that Theroux has ever written because he delves deeply into what makes Naipaul tick. He also reveals much of himself and what he drew from the relationship. This is a story of the mentor turning against his protege.Theroux seems to be saying to Naipaul: you don't want me anymore. Okay, but I'll write a book. He also mentions the official biography of Naipaul. Now the official biography of Naipaul will be much more difficult as the biographer will have to spend time on what Theroux said.
It seems to me that by writing Sir Vidia's Shadow, Theroux will always be Naipaul's shadow. The two will be linked forever. This will bother Naipaul very much, and it will be very amusing to Theroux.
Rating:
Summary: Unofficial Biography
Review: This may be the most interesting book that Theroux has ever written because he delves deeply into what makes Naipaul tick. He also reveals much of himself and what he drew from the relationship. This is a story of the mentor turning against his protege. Theroux seems to be saying to Naipaul: you don't want me anymore. Okay, but I'll write a book. He also mentions the official biography of Naipaul. Now the official biography of Naipaul will be much more difficult as the biographer will have to spend time on what Theroux said.
It seems to me that by writing Sir Vidia's Shadow, Theroux will always be Naipaul's shadow. The two will be linked forever. This will bother Naipaul very much, and it will be very amusing to Theroux.
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