The Mystic Masseur

Inthisslylyfunnyandlavishlyinventivenovel–hisfirst–V.S.NaipaultracestheunlikelycareerofGaneshRamsumair,afailedschoolteacherandimpecuniousvillagemasseurwhointimebecomesareveredmystic,athrivingentrepreneur,andthemostbelovedpoliticianinTrinidad.Tounderstandalittlebetter,onehastorealizethatinthe1940smasseursweretheisland’smedicalpractitionersofchoice.Asonecharacterobserves,“IknowthesortofdoctorstheyhaveinTrinidad.Theythinknothingofkillingtwo,threepeoplebeforebreakfast.”Ganesh’sascentisvariouslyaidedandimpededbyaDickensiancastofroguesandeccentrics.There’shisskepticalwife,Leela,whoseschoolinghasmadeherexcessively,fond.of;punctuation:marks!;andLeela’sfather,Ramlogan,amanofstartlingmoodchangesandanever-readycutlass.There’stheauntknownasTheGreatBelcher.Therearepatientspursuedbymaligncloudsorafflictedwithanamorousfascinationwithbicycles.Witty,tender,filledwiththesights,sounds,andsmellsofTrinidad’sdustyIndianvillages,TheMysticMasseurisNaipaulathismostexpansiveandevocative.