Kinna

The 2011 Nobel Prize for Literature goes to Tomas Tranströmer

Yes, the prize has gone to a well deserving poet, Sweden’s own Tomas Tranströmer.  The citation is:

“because, through his condensed, transluscent images, he gives us fresh access to reality”

The only Nobel Literature citation that I understand!  Read the full announcement here. He was on my list but, frankly, I thought the Committee would overlook him. Again. This year’s “race” was quite exciting with so much at stake and a number of regions that have not been awarded for decades now.

It’s going to be even more exciting in the years to come, say 5-10 years.  There are lots of excellent middle-career novelists and poets across the world now.  Generally, more translations are getting published so we (in the English-speaking world) are hearing about amazing writers from Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.  All’s good.  More reading ahead :).

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7 comments

  1. It was not a surprise that they gave the prize to a poet this time, but I could not have predicted who nor could I have made any kind of short list of possible candidates! Congrats Kinna on putting Tranströmer on your list! 🙂

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  3. Hey, well done for putting him on your list! I’m sad to say I’d never even heard of him before this. I don’t read much poetry, but still it makes me feel bad when someone’s clearly so well regarded and I haven’t heard of him! Must broaden my reading habits. I agree, though, it’s exciting that there’s so much good literature out there, and so many great writers to discover!

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  4. he seems a great choice popular it seems ,I think next few years be great as they are calling in experts to help them with wider none eurocentric prizes and suppose it takes time for the committee to work through new writers that fit the Nobel criteria ,all the best stu

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    • I’m really looking forward to the coming years as well. Lots of interesting and wonderful writers are to be found all over the world.

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  5. I predict that it might go to an American next year. Not Pynchon (for his recluseness). Perhaps for Roth or someone similar. Then there is also Atwood for the Canadians. They should start giving it in twos else they’ll regret not giving some writers.

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