In a free state" by V. S. (Vidyadhar Surajprasad) Naipaul

"In a free state" by V. S. (Vidyadhar Surajprasad) Naipaul. This book was winner of 1971 booker prize. Mr. Naipaul is Trininad born Nobel prize winning British writer of Indian origin. The book has 256 pages.

This book consists of a prologue, three stories (third bears the title of the book) & an epilogue. The three stories are unrelated. This book is advertised as a novel with two supporting narratives.

First story 'One out of many' is of a person who goes from India to America as a domestic help. Then escapes the deemed slavery of his master and becomes a citizen by less than honorable means and gains freedom.

Second story 'Tell me who to kill' is of a person from Caribbean who goes to England to support his brother's education. Earns a lot and losses it along with his brother. He does not understand who to blame.

Third story 'In a free state' is set in a fictitious African country that has become independent from British rule. The country has a King and a President, each from different tribe. The President takes over the country with the help of white governments. During this turmoil Bobby, a homosexual white civil servant, travels from one city to another with the wife of his colleague, in his car. The story is of the changes he sees and experiences during this journey.

Although all the stories are unrelated, the overriding theme seems to be freedom and  transition.

Writing style of each story differs considerably. First story is narrated by an Indian and is written in brown man's perspective. Second story is narrated by a black man and is written in Caribbean style. Third story is  about an English man in white man's perspective. Author has carried these styles ably.

The stories are not straight forward. At times they are cryptic, at times convoluted, at times uncomprehending and often boring. Reader has to concentrate hard to understand and extract the essence.

I was not able to decipher the connection between the prologue & epilogue with the stories. They seemed totally unrlated. It remained an unsolved puzzle.

You can complete the book only through sheer grit and determination otherwise you will abandon it. AVOID.