About
Trinidad writer best known for his 1956 publication "The Lonely Londoners" where his use of creolised English was utilized for both narrative style and dialogue. He was also awarded two Guggenheim Fellowships in 1955 and 1968 for his writing.
Before Fame
Educated at Naparima College, he became a wireless operator with the Royal Naval Reserve in 1940 during the Second World War. He began writing stories about his experiences and in 1952, he published his first book "A Brighter Sun". In 1956, he released his popular novel "The Lonely Londoners", further establishing himself in the literary scene.
Trivia
He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Warwick University in 1989 and in 1985 the honorary degree of DLitt from the University of the West Indies. He was awarded the Hummingbird Gold Medal for Literature in 1969 and was honored with a Google Doodle in May of 2018.
Family Life
He was born and raised in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago. He has two sons and two daughters.
Associated With
His novels dealing with racial boundaries and class structures are known to have paved the way for upcoming authors such as Zadie Smith.
