When V.S. Naipaul received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2001, he delivered a speech called “Two Worlds.” It was an appropriate title for an essay summing up the famous author's long and prolific literary life. Born in the third world in Trinidad, Naipaul evolved as a writer entirely in the first world, studying at Oxford and then crafting his literary voice in England. Critics have frequently commented on Naipaul's split identity. It's as evident in his books as it is in his biography. Literary Occasions includes 11 essays mapping out Naipaul's thoughts on reading, writing and living in those two worlds. It includes, among other jewels, his famous Nobel speech. Fans of his writing will be eager to get their hands on this collection by one of our preeminent living English-language writers.
