Miguel Street

“AstrangercoulddrivethroughMiguelStreetandjustsay‘Slum!’becausehecouldseenomore.”ButtoitsresidentsthisderelictcornerofTrinidad’scapitalisacompleteworld,whereeverybodyisquitedifferentfromeverybodyelse.There’sPopothecarpenter,whoneglectshislivelihoodtobuild“thethingwithoutaname.”There’sMan-man,whogoesfromrunningforpublicofficetostaginghisowncrucifixion,andthedreadedBigFoot,thebullywithglasstearducts.There’sthelovelyMrs.Hereira,inthralltohermonstroushusband.Inthistender,funnyearlynovel,V.S.Naipaulrenderstheirlives(andthelegendstheirneighborsconstructaroundthem)withDickensianverveandChekhoviancompassion.SetduringWorldWarIIandnarratedbyanunnamed–butprecociouslyobservant–neighborhoodboy,MiguelStreetisaworkofmercurialmoodshifts,byturnssweetlymelancholyandanarchicallyfunny.Itoverflowswithlifeoneverypage.