num_pages: 224
description: The Mystic Masseur tells the story of Ganesh, who at the beginning of the novel is a struggling masseur at a time when, as the narrator puts it, 'masseurs were ten a penny in Trinidad'. From failed primary school teacher and masseur to author, revered mystic and MBE, his is a journey memorable for its hilarious and bewildering success. Naipaul's clarity of style, humorous touch and powerful characterisation are all in evidence in this, his first book. Funny, touching and perceptive, this novel is a wonderful introduction for readers new to Naipaul's writing.
language: English
title: The Mystic Masseur
titlecomplete: The Mystic Masseur
characters: Ganesh, Ramlogan
genres: Politics, Nobel Prize, Literary Fiction, Novels, Indian Literature, Literature, India, Classics, Fiction, Humor
ratings_count: 2479
awards: awardedAt: -378662400000
name: John Llewellyn Rhys Prize
publisher: Penguin Books