A House For Mr Biswas
by Naipaul, V S
V.S. Naipaul’s A House for Mr. Biswas tells the story of Mohun Biswas, an Indo-Trinidadian, who struggles as he yearns for a place he can call home following the death of his father. Homeless and loveless, he wanders from place to place, from one type of work to another, with every small success matched by a humiliation.
A House for Mr. Biswas is primarily a sharply drawn look at life that uses postcolonial perspectives to view a vanished colonial world. The novel—Naipaul's first work to achieve acclaim worldwide— is ranked 72nd on Modern Library’s “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century, won the Nobel Prize in Literature, and is listed in TIME’s “100 Best Novels” (since 1923).
First edition identification
André Deutsch first published A House for Mr. Biswas in London in 1961. First editions state “First Published 1961” on the copyright page. Signed first editions have sold for upwards of $3,500.
Other Collectible or Notable Editions
McGraw Hill published the first US edition of A House for Ms. Biswas in New York in 1961.
Reviews
Review this book!
On Aug 31, 2009, madmom said
I read this book in high school and will be reading again. This time from a mature perspective and will then give a critique
Available Copies
A House for Mr Biswas
by Naipaul, V.S.
- Condition
- Used - Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Near Fine
- Edition
- First
- Published
- 1961
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Chelmsford, Essex, GBR
- Item Price
-
$1,268.10
Show Details
Description:
First American edition, first impression (McGraw-Hill, 1961). Jacket design by Stephen Russ.
Original dark green cloth with white lettering to spine. Just a hint of knocking and rubbing to extremities, else fine and internally pristine without names or inscriptions. The original dust jacket is clipped to bottom corner of front flap, but still bears the original '$5.95' price; a few… Read more about this item Item Price
$1,268.10
A HOUSE FOR MR. BISWAS
by Naipaul, V.S.
- Condition
- Used
- Edition
- First US Edition
- Published
- 1961
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Rockville, Maryland, USA
- Item Price
-
$640.00
Show Details
Description:
New York: McGraw-Hill, 1961. First US Edition. Octavo; VG/VG; Purple jacket spine with black lettering; Green cloth boards; Minor wear only to jacket; Edge wear and toning to book, otherwise in excellent shape; No marking to text; Rare in such condition; 531 pages. SHELVED Case 2. Driggers Consign. 1252855. Shelved Dupont Bookstore. Item Price
$640.00
A House for Mr Biswas
by V. S. Naipaul
- Condition
- Used - Very Good+
- Jacket Condition
- Good
- Edition
- 1st
- Published
- 1961
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
London, GBR
- Item Price
-
$310.68
Show Details
Description:
First Edition, First Impression, Andre Deutsch, 1961. The DJ has some loss at the top of the spine, but which has not affected the title, although it comes down to the first letter, without touching it. It is chipped at the edges, with some small areas of tape repair on the back, although the front is about 98% intact, as… Read more about this item Item Price
$310.68
A House For Mr. Biswas.
by Naipaul, V.S
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1961
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Palm Beach, Florida, USA
- Item Price
-
$2,750.00
Show Details
Description:
New York: McGraw Hill, 1961. For sheer abundance of talent there can hardly be a writer alive who surpasses V.S. Naipaul. Whatever we may want in a novelist is to be found in his books: an almost Conradian gift for tensing a story, a serious involvement with human issues, a supple English prose, a hard-edged wit, a personal vision… Read more about this item Item Price
$2,750.00
A House for Mr. Biswas
by Naipaul, V. S.
- Condition
- Used - Fine
- Edition
- First Edition; Seventh Printing
- Published
- 1992
- Binding
- Softcover
- ISBN 10
- 0140186042
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Lake Elsinore, California, USA
- Item Price
-
$18.00
Show Details
Description:
New Zealand: Penguin Books. Fine. 1992. First Edition; Seventh Printing. Softcover. 0140186042 . In FINE condition. This book can be seen as the struggle of a man not naturally rebellious, but in whom rebellion is inspired by the forces of ritual, myth and custom. It is a work of great comic power qualified with firm and unsentimental… Read more about this item Item Price
$18.00
A House For Mr Biswas
by Naipaul, V S
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1962
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Harrogate, North Yorkshire, GBR
- Item Price
-
$1,585.12
Show Details
Description:
London: Andre Deutsch, 1962. A first edition, first printing published by Andre Deutsch in 1961. A near fine book without inscriptions. Minimal fading to the boards edges. In a very good+ clipped wrapper with a completely unfaded spine. A small chip to the top of the spine and a little to the corners. One larger chip to the rear… Read more about this item Item Price
$1,585.12
A House For Mr. Biswas.
by Naipaul, V.S
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1961
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Palm Beach, Florida, USA
- Item Price
-
$5,000.00
Show Details
Description:
London: Andre Deutsch, 1961. First edition of the author's magnum opus. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by V.S. Naipaul on the title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a touch of rubbing. Jacket design by Stephen Russ. An exceptional example. For sheer abundance of talent there can hardly be a writer alive who surpasses V.S. Naipaul. Whatever… Read more about this item Item Price
$5,000.00
A House For Mr. Biswas.
by Naipaul, V.S
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1961
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Palm Beach, Florida, USA
- Item Price
-
$4,800.00
Show Details
Description:
London: Andre Deutsch, 1961. For sheer abundance of talent there can hardly be a writer alive who surpasses V.S. Naipaul. Whatever we may want in a novelist is to be found in his books: an almost Conradian gift for tensing a story, a serious involvement with human issues, a supple English prose, a hard-edged wit, a personal vision of… Read more about this item Item Price
$4,800.00
The Forging of Fantom
by Underhill, Charles
- Condition
- Used
- ISBN 10
- 0091362601
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Morrinsville, NZL
- Item Price
-
$40.00
Show Details
Description:
Hutchinson of London, 1979. Hardcover. 8vo, First Edition. Book Condition: Very Good. Owners details endpaper. Boards and interior very clean. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good.. Item Price
$40.00
A House For Mr. Biswas.
by Naipaul, V.S
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1961
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Palm Beach, Florida, USA
- Item Price
-
$4,200.00
Show Details
Description:
London: Andre Deutsch, 1961. First edition of the author's magnum opus. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by V.S. Naipaul on the title page. Near fine in a very good dust jacket with a small chip to the crown and foot of the spine. Jacket design by Stephen Russ. For sheer abundance of talent there can hardly be a writer alive… Read more about this item Item Price
$4,200.00
A House for Mr Biswas
by Naipaul, V S
- Condition
- Used - Very Good in Very Good dust jacket
- Edition
- Reprint; First Printing
- Published
- 1995
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10
- 1857152131
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Blagoevgrad Region, BGR
- Item Price
-
$23.01
Show Details
Description:
London: David Campbell Publishers Ltd.. Very Good in Very Good dust jacket. 1995. Reprint; First Printing. Hardcover. Ex-Library . Ex school library copy with usual stamps and marks inside, slight bowing to boards, unclipped DJ protected by clear library sleeve taped to inside covers. ; First printing of Everyman Millenium Library edition, 1995. Red cloth boards with… Read more about this item Item Price
$23.01
A House for Mr Biswas (Picador Classic, 42)
by Naipaul, Sir V. S.
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN 10
- 1509803505
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
-
$3.82
Show Details
Description:
Paperback. Very Good. Item Price
$3.82
A House For Mr. Biswas
by Naipaul, V.S
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1995
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Palm Beach, Florida, USA
- Item Price
-
$550.00
Show Details
Description:
New York: Everyman's Library/ Knopf, 1995. First edition of the Everyman's Library of the author's most well-known work. Octavo, original red cloth. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Signed by V.S. Naipaul on the title page. For sheer abundance of talent there can hardly be a writer alive who surpasses V.S. Naipaul. Whatever we may want in a novelist… Read more about this item Item Price
$550.00
A House for Mr. Biswas
by Naipaul, V. S.
- Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Near Fine
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
- Item Price
-
$67.50
Show Details
Description:
(London): Andre Deutsch; (1969). Hardcover. Near Fine/Near Fine. Stated fourth printing, the "Russell Edition," near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Non-authorial gift inscription dated in 1974 on the front endpaper. The lamination on the jacket is slightly separated in the outer gutters, front and rear, but there is no bunching or rippling to the jacket.… Read more about this item Item Price
$67.50
A House for Mr Biswas
by V. S Naipaul
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Edition
- None
- Published
- 2005
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN 10
- 0330487191
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Manchester, Lancashire, GBR
- Item Price
-
$6.64
Show Details
Description:
-: Picador, 2005. None. Paperback. Good. -. A House for Mr Biswas is V.S. Naipaul`s unforgettable third novel. Born the ""wrong way"" and thrust into a world that greeted him with little more than a bad omen, Mohun Biswas has spent his 46 years of life striving for independence. But his determined efforts have met only with calamity.… Read more about this item Item Price
$6.64
A House for Mr Biswas
by Naipaul, V.S.
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Fair
- Edition
- 1st Edition
- Published
- 1961
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Lower Hutt, NZL
- Item Price
-
$65.00
Show Details
Description:
London: Andre Deutsch, 1961. Book. Very Good. Red Cloth. 1st Edition. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. 531 pages, name on front endpaper, slight foxing on endpapers. The dust jacket has only partially survived. Most of the front cover is present and the front and rear flaps have been backed onto this surviving front cover. Also included are 3… Read more about this item Item Price
$65.00
A House for Mr Biswas
by V. S. Naipaul
- Condition
- Used - Acceptable
- Published
- 1962
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Goring-by-Sea, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
-
$11.45
Show Details
Description:
Andre Deutsch, 1962. Hardcover. Acceptable. 1962. Second Impression. 531 pages. No dust jacket. Pink cloth with gilt lettering. Light dog-earring and tanning to pages with mild foxing to text block edges Hinges are visibly cracked with netting exposed but pages and boards remain attached. Light foxing to free endpapers. Boards have noticeable warping with minor corner bumping and… Read more about this item Item Price
$11.45
A House for Mr. Biswas
by V.S. Naipaul
- Condition
- As New
- Jacket Condition
- As New
- Published
- 1995
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10
- 0679444580
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Rochester, New York, USA
- Item Price
-
$22.00
Show Details
Description:
Everyman's Library, 1995 Red cloth with offset black tile on spine with gold gilt title. Pristine dust jacket in protective mylar. Clean text and interior. Attached red silk bookmark. Item Price
$22.00
A House for Mr Biswas.
by NAIPAUL, V. S.
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1961
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
London, GBR
- Item Price
-
$2,853.22
Show Details
Description:
London: Andre Deutsch,, 1961. A fine copy First edition, first impression, review copy, of Naipaul's first work to achieve worldwide acclaim. This copy is in exceptionally fresh condition, and includes a review slip noting "Immediate" publication and a price of $4.95, printed on the publisher's stationery but giving the address of their Canadian representative. Presumably this is a… Read more about this item Item Price
$2,853.22
A HOUSE FOR MR. BISWAS
by V. S. Naipaul
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 1983-10-12
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10
- 039453400X
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
HOUSTON, Texas, USA
- Item Price
-
$11.64
Show Details
Description:
Knopf, 1983-10-12. Hardcover. Good. Item Price
$11.64