How To Deal With Karma

The best(?) way to deal with karma is, “Take it on the chin and move on“.

This phrase stems from a famous, bitter clash between Nobel laureate V.S. Naipaul and his one-time protégé, Paul Theroux.

When Theroux confronted Naipaul on a London street regarding why his letters and calls were being ignored, Naipaul coldly brushed him off by saying, “Take it on the chin and move on“. This abrupt dismissal effectively ended their 30-year literary friendship.

Theroux retaliated in 1998 by publishing “Sir Vidia’s Shadow“, an intimate and often unflattering memoir of his relationship with his former mentor. The feud—one of the most dramatic in modern literature—eventually concluded when the two men publicly reconciled in India at the Jaipur Literature Festival.

The bitter falling out between V.S. Naipaul and Paul Theroux was triggered by a series of deeply personal and professional slights that escalated in the mid-1990s:

• The Rare Book Catalogue Incident: The ultimate breaking point occurred in 1996. Theroux was casually browsing a high-end rare booksellers’ catalogue when he discovered a copy of his own book, My Secret History. He had fondly inscribed it “with love” to Naipaul and his first wife, Pat. Naipaul had put the copy up for sale online for a staggering $1,500. To Theroux, this was a callous and material rejection of their 30-year bond.
• The “Abusive Note” from Nadira Naipaul: Furious about the catalogued book, Theroux sent an enraged fax to Naipaul demanding an explanation. Instead of a response from his long-time mentor, he received a harsh, dismissive reply from Naipaul’s newly wed second wife, Nadira. The note deeply offended Theroux and closed off any avenue for direct communication.
• Disparagement of Pat Naipaul’s Obituary: Tensions were already high following the death of Naipaul’s first wife, Patricia Hale, in 1996. Theroux wrote a deeply respectful, eulogistic obituary celebrating Pat. However, Naipaul and Nadira openly disparaged Theroux’s tribute, which further alienated him.
• The Hay Festival Snub: Later that same year, both authors shared a stage at the Hay Literature Festival alongside Salman Rushdie. Naipaul completely ignored Theroux. He refused to acknowledge him or look at him on stage. This public cold-shoulder directly prompted the fateful street confrontation in South Kensington shortly after, where Naipaul delivered his famous “chin” line.