A House for Mr Biswas is V.S. Naipaul’s unforgettable third novel, published in 2003 by Picador. The story centers on Mohun Biswas, who was born into a world that greeted him with little more than a bad omen. Throughout his 46 years of life, Mr Biswas has been relentlessly striving for independence despite the calamities that have repeatedly thwarted his efforts. After being thrust from one residence to another following the drowning of his father, he finds himself in the domineering Tulsi family’s home, where he becomes dependent but also begins to rebel.

Mr Biswas takes on a series of occupations in an arduous struggle to weaken the family’s hold over him and eventually purchase a house of his own. This heartrending yet darkly comic novel masterfully evokes Mr Biswas’s quest for autonomy against the backdrop of post-colonial Trinidad, making it a profound exploration of identity and freedom.

With its 200 pages, this edition is beautifully crafted, capturing both the tragic and humorous aspects of human life in post-colonial times. ‘A marvellous prose epic that matches the best 19th century novels’ – Newsweek.