The Polygamist by William Irvine is an interesting and thought-provoking, if one-sided, philosophical exploration of a polygamist’s life and male sexuality and desire style set in 1970’s Goa.
When life as a playboy leaves the rich Saudi-born but Western-educated Omar unsatisfied, the death of his father leaves him in an unenviable position for him to step outside societal norms and create a new life with his four very different wives in Goa. But will this work and how will it affect Omar and his very different wives?
In The Polygamist, William Irvine explores love, sex, and marriage within the context of an unusual household. An exploration of sexual fantasy and desire, ultimately The Polygamist is a coming of age story with a strong spiritual theme. Set at the end of the seventies, a time when experimentation with alternative lifestyles and sexual relationships was rife, The Polygamist follows the fortunes of Omar Al Ghamdi, Saudi-born but educated in the West; a man who is the product of two irreconcilable cultures.After two decades he has come to experience philandering as increasingly superficial; but vehemently opposed to monogamous fidelity, turns to polygamy as the solution to his high turnover existence. His hope is that taking several wives will provide him with a more honest and satisfying alternative, allowing him to engage in deeper relationships whilst still giving a long enough leash to his sexuality. Having pursued his goal without compromise by entering into serial arranged marriages, he lives with his household on a remote house on Colva Beach in Goa. Does the reality live up to the dream? And, what is it like for the women? How can one man possibly satisfy multiple female partners? Written from an unashamedly male perspective, The Polygamist will appeal to those wishing to understand male sexuality and the desires that shape all of our lives and relationships.
William Irvine visited India for the first time in 1978, to rural Bihar as a volunteer worker, staying at a leprosy hospital. It was the start of a lifelong relationship. He read philosophy, his other passion, at Sussex University. He is currently an IT consultant with one of modern India's technology behemoths.
