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The prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature for this year has been bestowed upon Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai, as announced by the Nobel awarding body.

The Jury praised the author's "gripping and imaginative oeuvre that, in the midst of cataclysmic dread, reaffirms the power of the arts."

A Renowned Path of Dystopian Writing

Krasznahorkai is known for his dystopian, pensive works, which have garnered several awards, such as the 2019 National Book Award for translated literature and the prestigious Man Booker International Prize.

A number of of his works, notably his novels Satantango and another major work, have been turned into cinematic works.

Debut Novel

Hailing in the Hungarian town of Gyula in the mid-1950s, Krasznahorkai first rose to prominence with his mid-80s debut novel his seminal novel, a bleak and mesmerising depiction of a disintegrating countryside settlement.

The book would later earn the Man Booker International Prize award in translation many years later, in 2013.

A Distinctive Prose Technique

Often described as postmodern, Krasznahorkai is known for his long, winding sentences (the dozen sections of his novel each comprise a solitary block of text), dystopian and somber motifs, and the kind of relentless force that has led reviewers to draw parallels with literary giants like Kafka.

Satantango was notably transformed into a lengthy movie by director Béla Tarr, with whom Krasznahorkai has had a lengthy creative partnership.

"He is a remarkable epic writer in the Central European literary tradition that traces back to Franz Kafka to Thomas Bernhard, and is marked by the absurd and bizarre extremes," said Anders Olsson, leader of the Nobel jury.

He portrayed Krasznahorkai’s prose as having "evolved into … flowing language with long, winding sentences devoid of full stops that has become his hallmark."

Critical Acclaim

Susan Sontag has referred to the author as "today's Hungarian expert of apocalypse," while Sebald commended the wide appeal of his vision.

A handful of Krasznahorkai’s books have been rendered in English. The reviewer Wood once noted that his books "get passed around like valuable artifacts."

International Inspiration

Krasznahorkai’s professional journey has been shaped by travel as much as by language. He first departed from communist the country in 1987, residing a twelve months in the city for a scholarship, and later was inspired from Eastern Asia – particularly Asian nations – for books such as one of his titles, and another novel.

While developing this novel, he travelled widely across the continent and lived for a time in the legendary poet's New York apartment, stating the famous writer's backing as essential to finishing the book.

Author's Perspective

Inquired how he would describe his writing in an discussion, Krasznahorkai responded: "Characters; then from these characters, vocabulary; then from these words, some brief phrases; then further lines that are lengthier, and in the primary exceptionally extended sentences, for the duration of 35 years. Beauty in language. Enjoyment in hell."

On fans finding his writing for the initial encounter, he continued: "Should there be individuals who are new to my works, I would refrain from advising any specific title to read to them; instead, I’d advise them to step out, settle at a location, possibly by the banks of a creek, with no obligations, a clear mind, just remaining in tranquility like boulders. They will sooner or later come across an individual who has previously read my books."

Nobel Prize Context

Ahead of the reveal, oddsmakers had ranked the frontrunners for this annual award as the Chinese writer, an avant garde from China novelist, and Krasznahorkai himself.

The Nobel Award in Writing has been awarded on 117 past events since the early 20th century. Recent winners have included Ernaux, Dylan, the Tanzanian-born writer, the poet, Peter Handke and the Polish author. Last year’s winner was the South Korean writer, the South Korean author best known for The Vegetarian.

Krasznahorkai will officially accept the prize medal and certificate in a function in the month of December in Stockholm.

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