MIGUEL STREET AND THE LONELY LONDONERS

I often forget some of the books that I read in the last year. This is not a reflection on the quality of the books but an indication of my age!

However, in my early teens I read two books by Trinidadian authors—Miguel Street by (Sir) Vidia Naipaul and The Lonely Londoners by Samuel Selvon. I have never forgotten these books. They were my introduction not simply to those two writers but also to Caribbean fiction writing.

Over time I continued to read these two writers. I think that Selvon is under-rated possibly because his humour often overpowers the seriousness of his stories. I came to this conclusion when I moved to London as a young man and Selvon’s Londoners suddenly had new meaning to me.

Selvon and Naipaul remain two of my favourite writers.

• Edison T. Williams, also known as Theo, is the author of the short story collection Facing North: Tales from Bathsheba. He is a member of Writers Ink and the Bim Litfest Committee.