A House for Mr. Biswas by V. S. Naipaul
The novel narrates the life of Mr. Biswas, a man of Indian descent living in Trinidad, who struggles against poverty and adversity to achieve personal independence and to build a home for himself and his family. Born into a poor family and married into an oppressive one, he constantly strives for autonomy and identity against the backdrop of post-colonial Trinidad. His dream of owning his own house becomes a symbol of his desire for self-determination and respect in a society that often denies him both.
The 196th greatest book of all time
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This book is on the following lists:
- 4th on The Greatest 20th Century Novels (Waterstone)
- 23rd on The 50 best books of the past 100 years (The Times)
- 72nd on The Modern Library | 100 Best Novels (Modern Library)
- 78th on Entertainment Weekly's Top 100 Novels (Entertainment Weekly)
- 78th on The 100 Greatest British Novels (BBC)
- 1153rd on Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- Third World Novels… The Top 10 (New Internationalist)
- 25 acclaimed international writers choose 25 of the best books from the last 25 years (Wasafiri Magazine)
- 100 Novels That Shaped Our World (BBC)
- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon (The Western Canon (Book) by Harold Bloom)
- 50 Memorable Books from 50 Years of Books to Remember (The New York Public Library)
- The Modern Library: The Two Hundred Best Novels in English Since 1950 (The Modern Library (Book))
- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read (The Guardian)
- TIME Magazine All Time 100 Novels (TIME Magazine)