The solution is not the way of the mahatma or of the father of the main character in this book, Willie Chandran. His father took a vow of sexual chastity, a vow of brahmacharija (he failed) and burnt English books.
Instead, Willie becomes an English writer and is keen to discover the world, `a place where secret torrents flowed.'
Religion is also not the solution. He wanted to become a missionary, but changed when he saw a photo of `a priest standing with one foot on a statue of Buddha. He had just chopped it down with an axe. He was ashamed.'

Studying in London, Willie has furtive sexual contacts with Western girls and prostitutes. `He hardly enjoyed the moment.'
He marries a half-African girl with whom he has his `intensest love-making ... the undoing of fear, the granting to me of full manhood.' Half a Life becomes a Full Life.

In Africa, he is confronted with `pure' sex: `She's had her first period, and that means that she's ready for sex. The girl is scr.wing every night with some man'. But for Willie, it is too mechanical.
He discovers his complete sexual fulfillment when `for a second or two, those eyes looked at me as a man who had spent many hours in places of pleasure... Sex alters us ... I was full of desire that truly embraced the other person.'
`I thought how terrible it would have been if I had died without knowing the depth of satisfaction within myself. It was worth any price, any consequence.'

By defying all taboos, all psychological (fear), religious (western and eastern) and social (family) barriers and by considering sex as a entire and independent part of man's normal life, V.S. Naipaul has written a profoundly aggressive and disturbing book.
It is a must read for all lovers of world literature.