22 NOVEMBER 1997, Page 30

THE SHIVA NAIPAUL MEMORIAL PRIZE 1998

The Shiva Naipaul Memorial Prize is awarded annually to the writer best able to describe a visit to a foreign place or peo- ple. The award will not be for travel writing in the conven- tional sense, but for the most acute and profound observation of a culture alien to the writer. Such a culture might be found as easily within the writer's native country as outside it. The award is open to English language writers of any nationality under the age of 35 on the closing date for entries.

This year the Prize is part-sponsored by Penguin Books.

The winner will receive a cash prize of £3,000. The winning entry will be published in The Spectator.

The closing date for this year's entries is 31 March 1998. Details of rules and entry procedure can be obtained from:

Emma Bagnall, The Spectator, 56 Doughty Street, London WCIN 2LL.