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

The Academy praised the author's "powerful and prophetic oeuvre that, within apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the strength of art."

An Esteemed Career of Dystopian Narratives

Krasznahorkai is celebrated for his dystopian, pensive books, which have earned numerous prizes, for instance the recent National Book Award for international writing and the 2015 Man Booker International Prize.

Several of his books, notably his novels his debut and The Melancholy of Resistance, have been turned into cinematic works.

Initial Success

Born in a Hungarian locale in 1954, Krasznahorkai first gained recognition with his 1985 debut novel his seminal novel, a grim and mesmerising portrayal of a failing countryside settlement.

The novel would go on to win the Man Booker International Prize honor in English many years later, in 2013.

An Unconventional Prose Technique

Often described as postmodernist, Krasznahorkai is famous for his lengthy, intricate prose (the 12 chapters of Satantango each are a solitary block of text), dystopian and melancholic subjects, and the kind of relentless force that has led critics to liken him to Kafka, Melville, and Gogol.

The novel was widely made into a extended film by filmmaker Béla Tarr, with whom Krasznahorkai has had a lengthy creative partnership.

"The author is a significant writer of epic tales in the Central European tradition that traces back to Kafka to the Austrian writer, and is marked by absurdist elements and grotesque exaggeration," said Anders Olsson, leader of the Nobel jury.

He portrayed Krasznahorkai’s writing as having "developed towards … continuous language with long, winding lines lacking periods that has become his hallmark."

Expert Opinions

The critic Susan Sontag has described the author as "today's Hungarian genius of the apocalyptic," while Sebald praised the wide appeal of his vision.

A handful of Krasznahorkai’s novels have been rendered in English translation. The reviewer Wood once remarked that his books "are shared like rare currency."

Global Influences

Krasznahorkai’s career has been shaped by exploration as much as by literature. He first departed from communist Hungary in the late 80s, residing a twelve months in Berlin for a scholarship, and later found inspiration from Eastern Asia – especially China and Mongolia – for works such as a specific work, and another novel.

While working on War and War, he journeyed extensively across the continent and resided temporarily in Ginsberg's New York home, describing the renowned poet's support as essential to completing the book.

Author's Perspective

Questioned how he would describe his oeuvre in an interview, Krasznahorkai answered: "Letters; then from letters, words; then from these terms, some brief phrases; then additional phrases that are more extended, and in the primary extremely lengthy paragraphs, for the period of decades. Beauty in prose. Enjoyment in hell."

On readers discovering his work for the first time, he noted: "Should there be readers who have not yet read my novels, I would not suggest any specific title to explore to them; on the contrary, I’d recommend them to venture outside, settle somewhere, maybe by the banks of a creek, with no obligations, no thoughts, just remaining in tranquility like boulders. They will sooner or later encounter someone who has already read my books."

Nobel Prize Context

Prior to the declaration, bookmakers had listed the top contenders for this year’s prize as the Chinese writer, an avant garde Chinese writer, and Krasznahorkai himself.

The Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded on one hundred seventeen prior instances since 1901. Current recipients include Annie Ernaux, Dylan, the Tanzanian-born writer, the poet, Peter Handke and the Polish author. The most recent winner was the South Korean writer, the Korean writer best known for The Vegetarian.

Krasznahorkai will officially receive the award and diploma in a function in the month of December in Stockholm.

Updates to come