Famous Writers with Cats: V.S. Naipaul

Writers need inspiration somewhere in life, and for many that inspiration comes from their pet cats.

This is a running series where we post pictures of famous writers with their feline companions--the cute, the cuddly, the creepy. And that's just the writers.


Today:  V.S. Naipaul

Mr. Whiskers' eyes are pleading for you to intervene.

Little known fact: This is how doctors recommend you hold newborn babies as well, like a slab of salami.

With all the blood rushing to Mr. Whiskers' head, he probably passed out ten seconds after the picture was taken.

Famous Writers Shirtless: V.S. Naipaul

Writers are never known as the studliest or sexiest of people, but that doesn't stop them from showing some skin for the camera once in awhile.

So, occasionally we'll post some literary beefcake for your perusal.


Today:  V.S. Naipaul

Everyone knows the hottest sunbathing action is done in the backyard in the shade.

The only thing hotter than Naipaul's lack of thigh muscle definition is the tea being served up.

The Nobel Prize banquet menu seems fancy.

Every year, the Nobel Prize folks hold a banquet for those bestowed with an award for that given year--and tonight is that night for 2012. Here's where the Nobel Prize winner in physics-meets-the-winner-in-literature-meets-the-winner-in-chemistry-meets-the-winner-in-medicine-etc.-etc.-etc., while the Swedish royal family kills everyone's mellow by inviting 1,300 of their closest friends and acquaintances.

Because the Swedes are a bunch of foodies, an entire listing of menus for each annual banquet is posted online. Everyone in attendance receives the same meal--this isn't someone's wedding where you choose between the chicken or the fish--but there's usually a variety of wines available to keep everyone feeling quite nice as the evening unwinds.

Some of the menu items from decades past are obscure and/or Swedish-y. Nonetheless, here's a look at some select menus on years where various literary types won their own Nobel Prize (translated at points):

Someone looks disappointed.

1907 Winner:
Rudyard Kipling

Menu:
Nothing. The banquet was cancelled because of King Oscar II's death a few days earlier.

Bummer.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Has eaten worse things than turtle soup.

1925 Winner:
George Bernard Shaw

Menu:
Turtle Soup

Supreme Perch Mornay

Nice Turkey    (Ed.: Better than Okay Turkey.)
Artichoke Princess

Parfait Nelusko
Petits Fours

Fruits

Dessert

Various wines


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Damn well wants to know what Ice in the Oven is before he eats it.

1936 Winner:
Eugene O'Neill

Menu:
Turtle Soup

Sole Fillets

Supreme Grouse à la Florida

Waldorf Salad

Ice in the Oven   (Ed.: Eh?)

Assorted Fruits

Treats

Various wines




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Concerned he just ate Prancer.

1946 Winner:
Herman Hesse:

Menu:
Shellfish Consommé

Roasted Fillet of Reindeer with Lingon Berry Sauce

Parisian Apples

Fonds de Celery

Poached Pear with Ice Cream

Treats

Various wines



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Can't pronounce anything on his menu.

1948 Winner:
T.S. Eliot

Menu:
Consommé Chesterfield

Helstekt oxfilé Polignac
(a beef tenderloin dish, in case you're wondering)

Glace päron Belle Hélène
(a fancy pear ice dessert)

Various wines






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is seriously peeved there's only two kinds of booze.

1949 Winner:
William Faulkner

Menu:
Crème d´Argenteuil
(cream soup from a region in France)

Gosling with Swedish Red Cabbage
Horseradish sauce

Napoleon Cake

Only two kinds of wine





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Doesn't go for "Princess" anything.

1954 Winner:
Ernest Hemingway

Menu:
Smoked Brown Trout
Spinach Cream

Beef Tenderloin Roast
Artichoke Princess
Fresh Mushrooms in Porto

Parisian Apples

Pears Roberta

Various wines and after dinner liqueurs


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Disappointed he got french fries.

1962 Winner:
John Steinbeck

Menu:
Smoked River Trout à la Parisienne

Chicken Roasted Foie Gras with Madeira Sauce
Fried Potatoes
Seasonal Salad

Peach with Grand Marnier
Whipping Cream

Various wines and after dinner liqueurs




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not sure avocados should ever be stuffed with salmon

1969 Winner:
Samuel Beckett

Menu:
Salmon Stuffed Avocados
Moscow gourmet sauce

Beef tenderloin Roast Périgourdine

Orange sorbet  (Ed.: The low point on Nobel desserts.)

Various wines and after dinner liqueurs





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Really ecstatic over the salad.

1971 Winner:
Pablo Neruda

Menu:
Cold Foam Stuffed Turbot
(Ed.: A kind of flatfish)
Champagne à l´Edlund

Roast chicken Christineberg
Salad

Grand Marnier Soufflé Ice à la Solliden
(Ed.: Solliden being the summer residence of the Swedish royal family.)

Various wines and after dinner liqueurs 


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There should be photos with the rest of these, but Blogger/Google is acting wonky today. It's changing fonts for no apparent reason, too. In short, formatting isn't just a nightmare...it's impossible today.

Thanks, Google!


1982 Winner:
Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Menu:
Marinated Reindeer Fillet
Dijon Sauce

Char braised in cream dill
Rice

Nobel Perfect Ice
Petit Fours

Various wines, liquor, and coffee

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1993 Winner:
Toni Morrison

Menu:
Marinated Char on a Bed of Radish Salmon Eggs
Honey Vinaigrette à la Raineri
Nobel Croissant

Sirloin with Chanterelle Reindeer Forests         (Ed. O---kay?)
Butter Cabbage Terrine of Fresh Blackberries
Foam Potatoes and Sliced ​​Salsify

Nobel Ice Sailing
Sorbet Strawberries and Vanilla Parfait

Various wines, liquor, and coffee

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2001 Winner:
V.S. Naipul

Menu:
Lobster on Mashed Cauliflower
Frozen prawns
Samphire Salad

Quail Stuffed with Foie Gras and Pan of Mushrooms and Dried Tomatoes
Asparagus and Mashed Chervil

Duo of Vanilla Ice Cream and Blackcurrant Perfect Meringue

Various wines, liquor, and coffee

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2009 Winner:
Herta Müller

Menu:

Lobster Consommé with Shellfish Tartare
Lobster and Kalix Bleak Roe

Truffle-stuffed Quail with Parsley Root
Brussels Sprouts and Port Wine Gravy

Lemon and Fresh Cheese Mousse with Sea-Buckthorn Sorbet

Various wines, liquor, and coffee

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2012 Winner:
Mo Yan

Menu:

Marinated Arctic Char with Cauliflower Terrine
Kalix Bleak Roe and Dill Mayonnaise

Pheasant with Chanterelle Mushrooms
Poached Pear, Winter Vegetables
Almond Potato Purée and Red Wine Gravy

Trilogy of Cherries with Pistachio-Covered Mascarpone Cheese and Black Cherry Sorbet

Various wines, liquor, and coffee

Male Nobel Prize winner says no woman is his equal.

Nobel Prize winner, V.S. Naipaul--known popularly in suburban books clubs as "Who's V.S. Naipaul?"--is famous among the literary set.

But it might be safe to say his fan base among women has dwindled slightly.

According to Salon, Naipaul was interviewed recently, and suggests that he can detect a woman writer whenever he reads. This might be because of psychic premonitions he's always kept on the down-low (how mysterious!)--or, possibly, he's just a misogynist. But it's more fun to pretend a Nobel Prize winner in literature has psychic abilities. It spices things up.

Anyway, Naipaul kept the misogyny bandwagon rolling in the interview, saying that no woman writer, alive or dead, was his equal, mainly because of "sentimentality, the narrow view of the world." It's funny when he talks about narrow views of the world because he's misogynistic. See how that works? Naipaul is a comedian! It's open-mic night at The Chuckle Hut!

His views on no woman equal includes Jane Austen--who he backhandedly comments that he couldn't "share her sentimental ambitions, her sentimental sense of the world."

At least Austen had sense. I'm going to go on a limb and say Naipaul long lost his.