Which one of the following is false about V. S. Naipaul?

The correct option is: He won the Booker Prize for his novel A House for Mr. Biswas.

To understand why this statement is false, let us analyze each of the given options and the facts regarding the life and career of V. S. Naipaul:

1. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001: This statement is true. V. S. Naipaul was indeed awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001 "for having united perceptive narrative and incorruptible scrutiny in works that compel us to see the presence of suppressed histories."

2. He won the Booker Prize for his novel A House for Mr. Biswas: This statement is false. Although A House for Mr. Biswas (published in 1961) is widely considered to be V. S. Naipaul's masterpiece and one of his most acclaimed novels, it did not win the Booker Prize. Instead, Naipaul won the Booker Prize in 1971 for his novel In a Free State.

3. He contributed his stories to the Trinidad Guardian: This statement is true. In his early years, Naipaul contributed articles and stories to the newspaper Trinidad Guardian.

4. He won the Somerset Maugham Award for his Miguel Street: This statement is true. Naipaul's first written (but third published) book, Miguel Street, won the Somerset Maugham Award in 1961.

Therefore, the false statement about V. S. Naipaul is that he won the Booker Prize for A House for Mr. Biswas.