Miguel Street

By: V. S. Naipaul

Narrated by: Ron Butler

"A stranger could drive through Miguel Street and just say 'Slum!' because he could see no more." But to its residents, this derelict corner of Trinidad's capital is a complete world, where everybody is quite different from everybody else. There's Popo the carpenter, who neglects his livelihood to build "the thing without a name". There's Man-man, who goes from running for public office to staging his own crucifixion, and the dreaded Big Foot, the bully with glass tear ducts. There's the lovely Mrs. Hereira, in thrall to her monstrous husband. In this tender, funny early novel, V. S. Naipaul renders their lives (and the legends their neighbors construct around them) with Dickensian verve and Chekhovian compassion.

Set during World War II and narrated by an unnamed - but precociously observant - neighborhood boy, Miguel Street is a work of mercurial mood shifts, by turns sweetly melancholy and anarchically funny. It overflows with life on every page.

©2010 V. S. Naipaul (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

A series of vignettes that I get something new from, every time I listen.

I’ve loved this book since childhood. I read it every few years and every time, I learn new lessons from the stories. It makes me nostalgic for an era of Trinidad I was not alive to experience. And it keeps me connected to my culture.

My only criticism is that the narrator did not have a Trinidadian accent. Similar, but recognized as Bahamian to my ear.

Entertaining

Well written, I loved the use of local language. The characters are clearly sketched and unforgettable. Naipaul manages to arouse feelings of affection for the characters. Thanks to this book I have a clear picture of life in a certain part of Trinidad .

Brilliantly crafted and engaging coming of age perspective

VS Naipaul effortlessly uses the narrator’s perspective to draw the reader in. One almost sees herself grow up with the narrator as he paints the exquisitely detailed picture of the people in his world. Brilliant exposition of the youth coming of age. Though subtle, the humor is part of the fabric that holds this narrative together. The narrator delivers some of the most humorous observations with the innocence of childhood, quite as if he is unaware of their import. Delicious!

Beautiful performance

These stories about growing up in a poor neighborhood in Port of Spain are evocative. In this street, at least in Naipaul’s memory, there is very little sense of difference between Black and Asian; at times the poverty and violence are romanticized, especially in the voice of the narrator’s mentor Hat. The narrator does a great job, especially on the dialogue.

trini accent needed to do justice to this narratio

publishers: please use authentic accents for books. whilst the narrator had a "caribbean " accent it was clear it was not a trinidadian accent and so a little something was lost due to that. i have clear memories as a student reading this book aloud in literature class in our local trini parlance and I was expecting the same. otherwise it was nice to return to a childhood story.