Nobel Prize in Literature
September 30, 2003 11:14 PM   Subscribe

The Nobel Prize for Literature will be announced on Thursday. Two candidates with buzz this year are Syrian poet Ali Ahmad Said, better known as Adonis, and New Zealand novelist-memoirist Janet Frame. Other candidates frequently mentioned include JM Coetzee, Philip Roth, Inger Christensen, Tomas Transtroemer, Margaret Atwood and Carlos Fuentes.
posted by Daze (19 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
They can't REALLY give Margaret Atwood a Nobel, can they?

/hated "Handmaid's Tale" in high school
posted by kickingtheground at 11:18 PM on September 30, 2003


BookFilter is back, btw.

(I say that merely to inform, not to judge this post.)
posted by homunculus at 11:42 PM on September 30, 2003


In a fair world, Yves Bonnefoy would take the prize.
posted by matteo at 12:07 AM on October 1, 2003


Don't forget Cardoso. He's an outsider, but I think he's got a chance.
posted by mathowie at 12:37 AM on October 1, 2003


Don't forget Cardoso. He's an outsider, but I think he's got a chance.

The Nobel committee likes to distribute the prize geographically. Saramago got the prize in 1998. Miguel will have to go get his from Jose.

Its why someone like Fuentes would have a great chance had not Octavio Paz (both from Mexico) grabbed it in 1990.
posted by vacapinta at 12:54 AM on October 1, 2003


My money's on Roth.
posted by dobbs at 1:06 AM on October 1, 2003


I have no money, but having Coetzee take this award wouldn't cause a literary riot.

Actually, I'd pay to see one of those. Give it to Stephen King.
posted by attackthetaxi at 3:54 AM on October 1, 2003


Is John Updike really that bad? It seems odd that he's never even considered. He might be past his prime, but for a while I thought he was an astonishingly good writer.
posted by mrhappy at 4:33 AM on October 1, 2003


What? No Astrid Lindgren?
posted by soundofsuburbia at 4:43 AM on October 1, 2003


Pippi, Pippi Longstocking; how i love that silly name! ; >

I've only read 2 of the possible winners, but i look forward to reading more of them--The Nobel people have become a pretty reliable recommendation team for me. Has a scandinavian won lately?

kickingtheground: they're using Handmaid's Tale in high schools now? I think that's excellent.
posted by amberglow at 6:56 AM on October 1, 2003


Borges should get it, obviously.

And yes, I know he's dead.
posted by signal at 8:10 AM on October 1, 2003


In the Netherlands, they'll be calling Harry Mulisch again for comments and Cees Nooteboom, in Belgium this is the time when telephone calls go to Hugo Claus: all dedicated losers of the Nobel Prize for the last thirty years.

My money's on whatever writer lives in the Middle East and who, for the last thirty years or so, wrote grave sentences about Islamic/Judean/Christian culture, preferably in free verse. Because let's be honest, it's not like it's *hard* to win this prize, is it?
posted by NekulturnY at 8:31 AM on October 1, 2003


In a fair world, Yves Bonnefoy would take the prize.

*cheers*
*realizes it's not a fair world, and Bonnefoy doesn't have a hope in hell*
*sobs*
posted by languagehat at 10:50 AM on October 1, 2003


Harry Mulisch would be a great winner--Discovery of Heaven was wonderful. (although i like it better when it's someone unknown to me who wins)
posted by amberglow at 10:55 AM on October 1, 2003


Luriete--

As much as I love Murakami, I'd rather wait and see him get the award a little later in his career. He's still a little young to get the nobel--the prize committee tends to skew old. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I'm not sure how I feel about their need to spread the love around the world though. The best writers should get the Nobel. It shouldn't have to do with where you live/what language you write in.

Did that professor nominate Bob Dylan again this year, or has he given up on the dream?
posted by thecaddy at 12:44 PM on October 1, 2003


Don't forget Cardoso. He's an outsider, but I think he's got a chance.

God help me, but that’s the first name I thought of too. (I guess it’s just because of this neighborhood.) Since it’s quality they’re looking for, though, not quantity, MC probably doesn’t have much of a chance.

He’s too young, too, which is why Murakami also won’t win it . . . oops, thecaddy just said that.

Borges should get it, obviously. And yes, I know he's dead.

I’ll go along with signal on this. And please, not Updike.
posted by LeLiLo at 4:39 PM on October 1, 2003


And the winner is... JM Coetzee!
posted by soundofsuburbia at 4:00 AM on October 2, 2003


Fits the profile, although it's sort of a "Nadine Gordimer revisited" situation. Guess the Middle East will have to wait for another ten years. Maybe some Balkan writers first?
posted by NekulturnY at 4:20 AM on October 2, 2003


Booyah!
posted by PenDevil at 5:33 AM on October 2, 2003


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