Nobel winner 2020

It is that time of year and we have just seen this year’s winner announced. After the controversy of Handke winning the prize. The feeling was it would be a safer choice this year. The winner is Louise Glück an american poet I have seen here name mentioned she was in this betting further down so she is a surprise. I have put a bit of bio and some poems here for you and myself she seems very much a poet about family and the personal world.

Louise Glück was born in New York City in 1943 and grew up on Long Island. She attended Sarah Lawrence College and Columbia University. Considered by many to be one of America’s most talented contemporary poets, Glück is noted for her poetry’s technical precision, sensitivity, and insight into loneliness, family relationships, divorce, and death, as well as what poet Rosanna Warren has called its “classicizing gestures” or frequent reworking of Greek and Roman myths such as Persephone and Demeter. from poetry foundation

Here is a link to a poem on Poetry foundation

Nobel lit 2020 ?

It is that time of year when its Nobel week and on this Thursday we find out the 2020 winner of the nobel prize.

There is a number of sites offering odds on the winner of the two I looked at the French Guadeloupean writer Maryse Conde. Best know for Segu which I will be reviewing tomorrow I also have her latest novel which I will be reviewing later in the month. There are the usual names on the list Murakami. Wa’Thiong’o, Attwood to name a few. A name missing in Cartescu who has run high the last few years. In recent years there has been a run on the winner between now and Thursday of the eventual winner. Conde won the alternative Nobel a couple of years ago when the Nobel was canceled. There has been a call for more African writers to win so she would fit into that category as would Wa Thing’o . I will be watching to see who wins and will let everyone now as usual. I’ll leave you with a couple of outside bets. Cees Nooteboom and Scholastique Mukasonga I have enjoyed a number of books by both of these writers in recent years plus I had interview Nooteboom many years ago.

Maryse Conde

What are your thoughts about this years winner ?

The two Nobel’s go too

Its that time of year and a treat today we have two Nobel Laureates one for this year and one for last year. we see if a year away has meant the academy gone in a new Nonanglophile and feminist direction that has been mention in recent years. The first winner for the last year 2018 is Olga Tokarczuk for her encyclopedic writing. I have reviewed her book Drive my plough over the bones of the dead Here is an interview with her

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

hen for this year, 2019 we have Peter Handke A favorite for many years to win although he has courted controversy in some of his view but I loved every book I have read and he has also worked with Wim Wenders on a number of films including the goalkeeper anxiety a classic film. Here is a review of slow homecoming by him and an interview IT is from a german paper but worth reading

My Nobel literature four I know and four on my radar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its that time of year again when its the Nobel after missing last year there will be two winners the feeling is one female and probably both none English writers. This still brings up the chance of the few writers that well regard in their countries and have yet to reach us in English my tip of these is Ulrich Holbein a left-field choice a writer that uses others words and his owns any way for this year I have chosen to pick four writers i have reviewed and four I am yet to get too.

Cesar Aira- The Argentinean is prolific as a writer I have only reviewed him once although I have few more on my shelves he is experimental in style and maybe hadn’t grabbed me yet in the two books I had read. But he is one that would be a great choice.

Andres Neumann – Again another writer from Argentina is maybe a personal choice as I like him as a writer so much he has written novels and short stories I have reviewed a few and I know he has another book due in translation next year. My favorite is still travelers of the century 

Scolastique Mukasonga The Rwandan writer books capture the horrors of the  Rwandan Genocide I have reviewed two books by her and know there is another book by her in English available. I really touched by her tale of a school caught up in the genocide Our lady in the nile

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o The Kenyan has been mention as a Nobel winner since I have been blogging and maybe it is his year I have reviewed his best-known book A grain of wheat

Now to the four, I haven’t read I have books by three of them and am waiting for a book by the fourth.

Maryse Conde A French writer from Guadeloupe her best know book is Seug I have the recent Penguin modern classic edition of it. She won the alternative Nobel last year when the proper prize was canceled.

Lyudmila Ulitskaya  The Russian is maybe isn’t as well known as she should be her best k=novel Daniel Stein Interpreter her books on read Russia are described as she is known for creating vivid characters who populate fiction that is set in the Soviet and post-Soviet eras and often includes elements of history and science. I have The funeral party by her to read.

Mircea Cărtărescu The Romanian is a name that has been high on the list of betting the last few years I am under the Belief his best book called Solenoid has yet to reach us in English although on twitter it has a publisher  for it I have vol1 of Blinding his three vol work but not sure if the other two will be published a Nobel win would maybe get them out. 

Gerald Murnane – The Australian is an outside chance if they chose an English writer I can’t see it this time maybe next year.

Then we have others like Murakami, Tokarczuk, Nadas, and Krasznarhorkai in the betting. What are your thoughts?

Should been Nobel

Well with the Nobel suspended for a year. I decide to name a few writers who should won the Nobel but didn’t. Join in and name some yourself these next few weeks. using the hashtag #nobelmisses here are my three . I could name a hundred or more over time from Burgess to Bolano, Calvino to Perec!!

James Joyce

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I don’t know a writer that has influenced and changed how we wrote as much as Joyce did of course other writers did similar things but Joyce managed tostick everything into his books. So he is my first should won the nobel.

Jorge Luis Borges

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another omission ok he never wrote a novel. But he created some of the finest short stories that set other writers on the path to writing a hundred novels. since in his stories he showed how we can twist ourselves and reflections of our lives and rewrite history into a whole new reality.

Assia Djebar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Algerian is a writer I need to read more of but was an important female voice from the Islamic world in recent times she gave voice to those that didn’t have one.

These are my three choices #nobelmisses pick yours and let’s get a chat about who missed the Nobel Lit prize over time as there isn’t a winner this year.

So You don’t get lost in the Neighbourhood by Patrick modiano

 

So you don’t get lost in the Neighbourhood by Patrick Modiano

French fiction

Original title –  Pour que tu ne te perdes pas dans le quartier

Translator – Euan Cameron

Source – review copy

I so enjoyed the last Modiano I decided to carry on reading another of the few by him I have on my TBR pile.This was the last of his books to be translated into English and the came out in French the same year as he won the Nobel prize. He has written one more book since but that hasn’t been translated into English. I said last time he has written the similar books and this is another twist on those themes.

“I should like to speak to Monsieur jean Daragane,”

A deary and threatening voice.That was his first impression.

“Monsieur Daragane? Can you hear me ?”

Daragame wanter to hang up. But what was the point? The ringing would start agan. withpu ever stopping, and short of cutting the telephone cord permanetly ..

“This is he.”

“It’s abput your address book, monsieur”

Giles rings up but is slightly threatening at first to jean

Again like in the last book the main character in this novel is a writer. Like in the last review he is called Jean but we get his full name in this book Jean Dragane. The story in this book is like the last review set of by the discovery of something old. This time a man has got hold of the old telephone book of Jean. The book has the name of Guy Torstel someone Jean had once been acquainted with many years ago. At the time he knew this person there was a murder.At the time he lived with a showgirl Anne in the seedy part of town. He is helped by the girlfriend of the man who has phoned him when he meets the man, to discuss his old telephone book. That man is  Giles Ottolini and his girlfriend, Chantal. A man that since then has drawn away from the world and lived as a recluse writing books one that may have a clue into what happened in the past. The past is a lost country in this book and Jean has to revisit it.

And so would the name Torstel which had once used in a novel.Simply because of its resonace. That is what Torstel  conjured up for him. There was no need to look any further. It was all he had to say. Gilles Ottolini would no doubt be disappointed. Too bad. After all, he was not obliged to give him any explanation. It was none of his buisness

The name from the past inspired a character in a novel but what about the real Torstel ?

As I said there are themes in his books. Jean is almost a mirror image of the writer having grown up in the dark post-war days. He also lives near Paris and spent time with a showgirl in the seedy part of Paris where there are twist streets and never quite sure what is around the corner the same Paris as Maigret walked in books like Maigret sets a trap. Then there is what I would be called missing memories another recurring theme of a misty past that the main characters seem to want to forget their Past. I feel Modiano is working his own past and his love may of a good mystery into books. I enjoyed this as I have all his books the Nobel win was such a treat for us the English reader as pre-Nobel I had struggled to find a book to read in the weeks before the prize and so many have come out since.

Nobel lit 2017 who will follow Dylan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well it is fast approaching the time of year when the betting for the Nobel literature prize opens

Ive look at odd checker and here are the top ten runners-

 

 

 

 

1. Haruki Murakami – Always near the top of the list Not sure it is his year myself review 
2. Ngugi Wa Thiong’o – For me, this may be the year, a review of one of his books
3. Magaret Attwood – Only read one of her books I did like it so maybe
4. Amos Oz – I loved his latest Judas  when we read it for Man Booker my review of it
5. Adunis – always near the top he is another one I feel may win I did have one poem by him
6. Claudio Magris – A writer I love and pleased to see him here my review of blindly 
7. Don Dellio – probably one of the best American writer around  I reviewed him a few years ago
8. Ko Un another poet I did feature one poem a few years ago
9. Javier Marias – he has written one epic trilogy and a number of good books  have reviewed him before .
10. Jon Fosse – could it be a home win I have reviewed him here 

Then I have a few names outside to mention

Laszlo Krasznahorkai – brilliant writer

Antonio Lobo Antunes – another favourite of mine

Ismail Kadare – a solid writer like Pamuk!

Peter Handke – maybe to outspoken but has written some great books

Cesar Aira – A writer I’d like to read more of !!

Who do you think will win after Dylan last year ?

Nobel thoughts 2016

Well today is the day , we see who has won the nobel prize for literature. As ever I have been following the betting for the last week or so . Unlike other years the betting has been fairly stable and the names on the list the same as other years. The lead name this year is Ngugi Wa Thiong’o the Kenyan writer , he writes a lot about the colonial and post colonial times in his native land. I have reviewed him  . Then next on the list is Haruki Murakami , I still think it isn’t his time yet , I know others think it is but for me he needs to write that one defining book. Then we have Adonis the Syrian poet has been on the list for many years , I have once feature a poem by him about childhood. THen we Have Don Delillo has risen in recent days in the betting now for me he is maybe the best American to win ,he has written the book so to speak Underworld is a true epic , I have reviewed him once on the blog . The we have Jon Fosse I read him earlier this year and for me he maybe along side Thiong’o is the best place to be the nobel winner .his writing capture the feeling of modern Scandinavia . Well there we go , of course there is a number of outsiders as ever , now for me there is Javier Marias, Laszlo Krasznahorkai and Peter handke all writer that would be worthy winners but maybe not yet , but wouldn’t be shocked if they did win today.Then there would be the shock winner not translated into english yet , lets say Ulrich holbein for example.  So 11.45 today we find out have you thoughts ?

Nobel winner 2015 Svetlana Alexievich

 

The winner has been announced earlier today,it was the Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexievich.Not a huge surprise she was second favourite last year in the betting and first for all of this years betting .Its great see a non fiction writer winner the prize,her reportage style is one I enjoyed last month ans will again when I get a copy of Zinky boys or the new book which is coming out on Fitzcarraldo editions next year . I described my view of her as” Bringing  clarity to a cacophony of voices ” which sums up my feeling of Voices of chernoybyl which I reviewed here .So on too next year and wait and see who wins .

International Poetry day Nobel Poets ? Ko Un and Adonis

Today is international poetry day,I have rarely featured poetry in translation,I personally read very little poetry maybe one or two collections a year if that so if tomorrow sees a Poet winning the Nobel I will be interested to read more as to get the prize for the best body of work must mean something anyway with today being international poetry day I will feature two short piece by two of the poets riding high in the Nobel Literature betting this year. Which poets from around the world have you read ?

Ko Un

The poet called the poet of his people .I liked this short poem Ear of the few I read by him.There is an article about him from the guardian a few years ago .

Ear

BY KO UN

TRANSLATED BY SUJI KWOCK KIM AND SUNJA KIM KWOCK

Someone’s coming

from the other world.

Hiss of night rain.

Someone’s going there now.

The two are sure to meet.

 

Source 

The second poet often mention for a Nobel is the Syrian poet Adonis or Adunis . I have read many of these piece from the wonderful Arablit about Adonis , you can also find a lot on the Arabist site as well .I choose a part of a poem about childhood think of those children in Syria or on the way here at the moment.

Adonis or Adunis (Ali Ahmad Said Esber)

 

I have mention him a couole of times in previous Nobel literature build up posts .

Celebrating Childhood

BY ADONIS

TRANSLATED BY KHALED MATTAWA

Even the wind wants

to become a cart

pulled by butterflies.

I remember madness

leaning for the first time

on the mind’s pillow.

I was talking to my body then

and my body was an idea

I wrote in red.

Red is the sun’s most beautiful throne

and all the other colors

worship on red rugs.

Source