Mr Stone likes to be known as Head Librarian with Excal, and dislikes the prospect of retirement. After a brief acquaintanceship with Mrs Springer, he marries her to defend himself against idleness and solitude. Then a foolproof plan strikes him, to introduce the order of the Knights Companion.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
When retirement creeps up on you ....,
This review is from: MR. STONE and the KNIGHTS COMPANION (Paperback)
Many of V.S.Naipaul's books are set in his native Trinidad, or other Caribbean islands, or locales such as Africa. This novel, however, is entirely set in England and all the characters are English. Richard Stone, a sixty-two year old bachelor is a librarian in a corporation who is approaching retirement. Unnerved at the prospect, he suddenly decides to marry. He also draws up a plan whereby his company can help its retired employees who are now pensioners, many living in penury. The plan, against all odds, becomes a success but Naipaul shows how victories can be bittersweet. A charming book, and a real treat to read even just for the style and the use of language.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
realistic late life change,
By Robert J. Crawford (Balmette Talloires, France) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Mr. Stone and the Knights Companion (Mass Market Paperback)
This is a truly moving and brilliant book about a man who discovers the creative impulse late in life. Unlike Naipaul's customery set of third-world characters, this one is an Englishman, which sets this book apart. We witness a novelist with great imaginative power, a first-rate talent.Stone discovers he can create, with all its joys, its trials, and disappointments. He also finds love of a sort, which he struggles to pursue and maintain. Warmly recommended.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Review,
By K.V.Veloo "KVV" (Singapore) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: MR. STONE and the KNIGHTS COMPANION (Paperback)
MR STONE AND THE KNIGHTS COMPANIONBy V S Naipaul Published by Penguin Books, 1973, 126 pages Reviewed by K V Veloo _____________________________________________________ V S Naipaul is one of my favourite Nobel Laureates in literature. I have read most of his books. For some reason, his book "Mr Stone and the Knights Companion" did not catch my eye until lately. I am glad I did. I would have felt miserable if someone had told me that I missed reading one of his most brilliant books written in such literary delight. It is a book that I would recommend to all those who are facing retirement. Pre-retirement invariably breeds anxiety and confusion. The morbid thoughts of growing old, sick and frail and even death become painful and discomfiting. The story line is simple: mundane and so real, as if the life events portrayed are that of a family living in one's less affluent neighbourhood. The message it conveys is much deeper and profound. It deals with prospects of growing old. Growing old is not always fun. The book would go well with those engaged in policy initiatives on retirement counselling and preparation. Service providers for the elderly may pick up some valuable tips from the Knights Companion visitation programme. I have not heard of such an imaginative and useful initiative being promoted among our local companies, pensioners' societies or in the civil service. The story is about Mr Richard Stone, a bachelor in his 60s, who is terribly anxious and perturbed at his impending retirement. He works as Head Librarian at Excal Corporation. He lives alone and is dependent on his maid, the "heavy old Miss Millington", for running his household. The monotony and drabness of his life is tied up between his office and home. In his desperation to fend away his end-career crisis and loneliness he marries a 50 year old widow, Margaret Springer whom he meets at a friend's home. He falls for her loquacious and jocular disposition; very opposite to his own personality as a disciplinarian and creature of habit. Marriage does not help. He still has difficulty in coping with his leisure hours, relationship with his wife and prospect of losing his job. Mr Stone comes out with a brilliant plan to stay alive in his career by introducing the Knights Companion, a euphemism for a "befriender" programme, a sort of "good neighbour programme". The Knights Companion is designed to take care of the welfare of and to relieve the loneliness of the housebound retired company employees who are pensioners. Under the scheme pensioners visit pensioners, "take them a little gift from the company and build relationships that "are more than business relationships". The fundamental aim is to solve problems of old age- to rescue them from inactivity and preserve the comradeship of the office and thereby the loyalty to the company. The scheme is hailed as a brilliant company public relations and corporate welfare programme. The Knight Companions is an instant success. Mr Stone is promoted and moved to welfare, to a new office in a new building. A new lease of life full of hope and opportunities emerge. He regains his worth and dignity. As with all good things, they must come to and end. He faces the stark reality of life. "There remained to him nothing to which he could anchor himself." The silver lining that he desperately sought, he discovers, was within him.
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