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Derek Walcott: A Caribbean Life
This is the first full-scale literary biography of Nobel Prize-winning poet and dramatist Derek Walcott. It traces the creative contradictions in his life from colonial St. Lucia, where he was part of a tiny English-speaking Protestant mulatto elite in an overwhelmingly French-Creole Roman Catholic black society, to 1999 when, a star of international literature and a symbol of cultural decolonization, he wanted to be Poet Laureate of England. The author had had access to letters, diaries, uncollected and unpublished writings, and conducted numerous interviews in the Caribbean, North America, and Europe. Walcott is seen as someone driven by the need to justify his life and fulfill his talents before an unknowable God, but who, in mastering the ways of the world often regards himself as an example of fallen humanity. Besides offering an approach to Walcott as a poet, dramatist, theater director, arts critic, and teacher, the book shows how his desire to be a painter influenced his vision and the way he works.
730 pages, Hardcover
First published December 21, 2000
About the author
Bruce Alvin King
29 booksBruce King is a freelance editor and writer. He has held professorships or distinguished visiting professorships at Ahmadu Bello (Nigeria), Lagos, Stirling, Windsor (Canada), Canterbury (NZ), Ben Gurion (Israel), Angers (France) Paris III, Paris VII, and North Alabama.
Dr. King received his bachelor's degree from Columbia University in 1954, before moving to England to undertake an MA (1955) and then later a PhD (1960), both at the University of Leeds. In between his MA and PhD, King also undertook graduate studies at the University of Minnesota from 1955-56.
Following his doctorate, King took posts as an instructor for Brooklyn College (City University of New York, USA), Assistant Professor fo the University of Alberta (Calgary, Canada), as a lecturer for the University of Ibadan (Nigeria), and then at the University of Bristol (England).
In 1967 he transferred to the University of Lagos (Nigeria) where he was a professor for three years, followed by professorships at the University of Windsor (Canada), and at Ahmadu Bello University (Nigeria).
Dr. King has also held numerous visiting professorship, including at the University of Paris III (France), the University of Stirling (Scotland), Ben Gurion University of the Negev (Israel), the University of Paris VII (France), the University of Angers (France) and the University of Beyreuth (Germany)
In 1979 he was appointed Professor of English at the University of Canterbury (New Zealand), and then in 1983 he accepted the appointment as the Albert S. Johnson Professor of Literature at the University of North Alabama.
He is a member of the Modern Languages Association.
Dr. King received his bachelor's degree from Columbia University in 1954, before moving to England to undertake an MA (1955) and then later a PhD (1960), both at the University of Leeds. In between his MA and PhD, King also undertook graduate studies at the University of Minnesota from 1955-56.
Following his doctorate, King took posts as an instructor for Brooklyn College (City University of New York, USA), Assistant Professor fo the University of Alberta (Calgary, Canada), as a lecturer for the University of Ibadan (Nigeria), and then at the University of Bristol (England).
In 1967 he transferred to the University of Lagos (Nigeria) where he was a professor for three years, followed by professorships at the University of Windsor (Canada), and at Ahmadu Bello University (Nigeria).
Dr. King has also held numerous visiting professorship, including at the University of Paris III (France), the University of Stirling (Scotland), Ben Gurion University of the Negev (Israel), the University of Paris VII (France), the University of Angers (France) and the University of Beyreuth (Germany)
In 1979 he was appointed Professor of English at the University of Canterbury (New Zealand), and then in 1983 he accepted the appointment as the Albert S. Johnson Professor of Literature at the University of North Alabama.
He is a member of the Modern Languages Association.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 6, 2009
This feels like it will be superb.
I was listening to one of my poetry podcasts and they commented that Obama was seen carrying a book by Derek Walcott, so I'm investigating Walcott, since I've never heard of him.
I'm just pleased as punch that we have a President who carries books of poetry around on his daily activities.
So much detail in this book. I made it half-way through and will have to check it out again as my renewal allowances are done.
I was listening to one of my poetry podcasts and they commented that Obama was seen carrying a book by Derek Walcott, so I'm investigating Walcott, since I've never heard of him.
I'm just pleased as punch that we have a President who carries books of poetry around on his daily activities.
So much detail in this book. I made it half-way through and will have to check it out again as my renewal allowances are done.
Displaying 1 of 1 review