Nobel Prize in Literature 2009 Speculation

[Daniel del Real]

Originally Posted by beelzebubbles

I hesitate to share this, but I would choose Roth not for the literature prize but for the Nobel for medicine. I was in a deep depression and it disappeared after reading a Roth book with a strong Oedipal theme. I was surprised and gratified. Who knew catharsis was something more than a vocabulary word in high school literature courses.

What about Paulo Coehlo for Physics? Everytime I've read him a sudden energy is generated from by body trying to annihilate all of his works. That's impressive too

[beelzebubbles]

Originally Posted by Daniel del Real

What about Paulo Coehlo for Physics? Everytime I've read him a sudden energy is generated from by body trying to annihilate all of his works. That's impressive too

If you find a way convert that energy into a weapon for the military-industrial complex, you could start your own prize.

[Mirabell]

Originally Posted by Daniel del Real

What about Paulo Coehlo for Physics? Everytime I've read him a sudden energy is generated from by body trying to annihilate all of his works. That's impressive too

A personal question. What sort of terrible personal tragedy keeps happening in your life that you can write the sentence "everytime I've read him...". Should it not be "That one time that I read him..."? Why do you keep coming back to him?

[Daniel del Real]

Originally Posted by Mirabell

A personal question. What sort of terrible personal tragedy keeps happening in your life that you can write the sentence "everytime I've read him...". Should it not be "That one time that I read him..."? Why do you keep coming back to him?

Well I read three of his books when I was really young, had no big idea what was it. I guess now I get mad eveytime I think about it, but hey, we've all read trash, it's part of our literary formation.

[promtbr]

Well I see that while I have been away I missed all excitement of the hacked forum and this thread....(any connections lol )


I have been purposely reading (and reviewing) 2009 Nobel contenders (at least those working in fiction). Since I started late, I will undoubtedly miss the eventual winner (will anyway if its a poet).

My current short list (not necessarrily based on worthiness but as much on socio-political likelyhood is (in no particular order):

Amos Oz (I have it in my head he maybe the geo-social-political favorite)

Cees Nooteboom

Carlos Fuentes (this is hard between he and Vargas Llosa, just that Fuentes has taken more risks than Llosa from what I have read anyway, and dunno if Sabbato will last till Oct..what happens if he is chosen but perishes before they notify him?)

Juan Goytisolo (Marias is too young, and Goytisolo may cancel him out)

Cormac McCarthy (IMHO way more ammo than Roth -I will get crucified saying that, and if I look at the list of Laureates, I can't visualize Pynchon's name with those guys, maybe only Gunter Grass)



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[Stewart]

Originally Posted by promtbr

I have been purposely reading (and reviewing) 2010 Nobel contendors

2010? If you wait to find out who gets it this year then you may save yourself a bit of reading.

[Igu Soni]

Originally Posted by Stewart

2010? If you wait to find out who gets it this year then you may save yourself a bit of reading.

You may need a better reason(you said 'save yourself reading' on World Literature Forum).

[promtbr]

OK, so I am being attacked for living a year in the future...
(as he just realized that he has posted the leapt year everywhere incl his blog...)

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[Clarissa]

The Nobel Prize in Literature

Found this interesting - the way they choose the possible Nobel literature candidates.

Cormac McCarthy (IMHO way more ammo than Roth -I will get crucified saying that, and if I look at the list of Laureates, I can't visualize Pynchon's name with those guys, maybe only Gunter Grass)

Don't think Cormac McCarthy has a chance - not yet. And Günther Grass is a definite no-no. He got it in 1999!

All Nobel Laureates in Literature

[e joseph]

Originally Posted by promtbr

Well I see that while I have been away I missed all excitement of the hacked forum and this thread....(any connections lol )


I have been purposely reading (and reviewing) 2009 Nobel contenders (at least those working in fiction). Since I started late, I will undoubtedly miss the eventual winner (will anyway if its a poet).

My current short list (not necessarrily based on worthiness but as much on socio-political likelyhood is (in no particular order):

Amos Oz (I have it in my head he maybe the geo-social-political favorite)

Cees Nooteboom

Carlos Fuentes (this is hard between he and Vargas Llosa, just that Fuentes has taken more risks than Llosa from what I have read anyway, and dunno if Sabbato will last till Oct..what happens if he is chosen but perishes before they notify him?)

Juan Goytisolo (Marias is too young, and Goytisolo may cancel him out)

Cormac McCarthy (IMHO way more ammo than Roth -I will get crucified saying that, and if I look at the list of Laureates, I can't visualize Pynchon's name with those guys, maybe only Gunter Grass)

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Being fabulously well underread, I can't really comment on this list (gasp, I've only read McCarthy!), but I'm curious to know who you'd most LIKE to see win. And I mean regardless of acclaim, credentials and geo-social-political concerns.

Originally Posted by promtbr

OK, so I am being attacked for living a year in the future...
(as he just realized that he has posted the leapt year everywhere incl his blog...)

---

First of all, let it be know that I finally figured out how to "multi-quote". Secondly, I was fine with the idea of getting an early jump on 2010. I'd have to hold off until maybe 2012 to do enough reading and research to make a valid guess. And is this like a college basketball pool? What's the prize?

[Daniel del Real]

Originally Posted by promtbr

Well I see that while I have been away I missed all excitement of the hacked forum and this thread....(any connections lol )


I have been purposely reading (and reviewing) 2009 Nobel contenders (at least those working in fiction). Since I started late, I will undoubtedly miss the eventual winner (will anyway if its a poet).

My current short list (not necessarrily based on worthiness but as much on socio-political likelyhood is (in no particular order):

Amos Oz (I have it in my head he maybe the geo-social-political favorite)

Cees Nooteboom

Carlos Fuentes (this is hard between he and Vargas Llosa, just that Fuentes has taken more risks than Llosa from what I have read anyway, and dunno if Sabbato will last till Oct..what happens if he is chosen but perishes before they notify him?)

Juan Goytisolo (Marias is too young, and Goytisolo may cancel him out)

Cormac McCarthy (IMHO way more ammo than Roth -I will get crucified saying that, and if I look at the list of Laureates, I can't visualize Pynchon's name with those guys, maybe only Gunter Grass)



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* Well I have read all of them except Goytisolo, whose Count Julian is almost impassable. Of couse I would prefer Marías, but yes, he is too young. If it has to go to a Spanish writer I'd go with Miguel Delibes (I seems I have a predilection for really old guys since he is 88 years old)

* Oz is a favourite of mine too, not only because of political reasons but for his literary accomplishments. He is a very well balanced candidate in the literary-political sphere. I really hope he gets it.

* From Nooteboom I've only read The Following Story and though it's good it's not a great book. Maybe I have to read All Souls Day which they say is his masterpiece, a complex book. If anyone has read this one, please let me know your comments.

* The Fuentes and Vargas Llosa controversy of who is better, might depend a lot about taste. It is true that Fuentes has taken more risks than Vargas Llosa, but he has failed in many of them. Vargas Llosa is more constant and loyal to his stile and in my personal taste he has more good books than Fuentes. I'd still go to Vargas Llosa.

* I've read the Road and No Country for Old Men from McCarthy, very good both of them, but I think he is far away from the eternal candidates from the US, maybe not in his works but in fame and political spheres.

[promtbr]

Originally Posted by Clarissa

The Nobel Prize in Literature

Found this interesting - the way they choose the possible Nobel literature candidates.



Don't think Cormac McCarthy has a chance - not yet. And Günther Grass is a definite no-no. He got it in 1999!

All Nobel Laureates in Literature

Without trying to sound snippy, my comment was that the only Nobel Laureate (ie Previous Winner) that Pynchon's name didn't seem incongruent in a list with, is Gunter Grass.

Dissagree about McCarthy. Tho it acknowledge it maybe too early. However, if the prize did go to another American, chances are pretty good it would be another 12 years before another American would get it, and there's no tellin' who (of the American authors) will be still kickin' then...

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[beelzebubbles]

Cormac McCarthy (IMHO way more ammo than Roth -I will get crucified saying that, and if I look at the list of Laureates, I can't visualize Pynchon's name with those guys, maybe only Gunter Grass)

Are most Roth fan's really that rabid?

It's cool that everybody's so scared of us. Kind of like being a made man in the Mafia.

Lissen up. You better not say anything about my boy Philly. Capisce?

I haven't read anything by McCarthy but I did listen to an audiobook of The Road while driving alone the through mountains of New York state in the dead of night. These mountains are creepy even in the daylight. I have to say that was an experience that stays with me.

What about Don DeLillo? He rights a beautiful sentence; Mr DeLillo does.

[e joseph]

Roth vs McCarthy vs Pynchon vs DeLillo...It's on! Harold Bloom would be so proud.

Me likey McCarthy from this lot. He brings the creepy, the gory, and word after word that sends me to a dictionary. What's not to like? And seriously Daniel, when are you reading Blood Meridian? It crushes No Country for Old Men and The Road in my opinion.

Roth I'm not going to dis for fear of reprisal from his apparent Mafia backing. Also, I like him. Just not as much as McCarthy, though I've yet to read some of his heavier hitters like American Pastoral.

As for Pynchon, I've read only The Crying of Lot 49. There seems to be a good bit of Pynchonmania with his new novel, but I'm guessing that gets canceled out by the 99% assurance that he won't show up for the damn Prize anyway.

DeLillo - I've read only White Noise and wasn't thrilled.

Conclusion: I'm very unqualified to decide who of this lot of writers from the States is the best pick for a Nobel; however, should everyone more qualified than me perish in some sort of airborne toxic event or something, and I get called to decide, it's going to McCarthy.

[beelzebubbles]

For DeLillo, I like The Body Artist and Underworld. It just depends do you want to go for the short and bittersweet story that examines the consciousness of a grief stricken lover or the fabulous doorstop about detritus, trash, garbage, memorabilia, and waste, human or otherwise?

I wasn't so crazy about White Noise either.

[e joseph]

Originally Posted by beelzebubbles

I wasn't so crazy about White Noise either.

Yeah, I thought I was missing something with DeLillo. Thanks for the recommendation of The Body Artist; I'm much more likely to try him again with a shorter novel than the doorstop that is Underworld. Color me lazy.

[beelzebubbles]

Originally Posted by e joseph

Yeah, I thought I was missing something with DeLillo. Thanks for the recommendation of The Body Artist; I'm much more likely to try him again with a shorter novel than the doorstop that is Underworld. Color me lazy.

The Body Artist is beautiful and more avant-garde.

Underworld is huge but the storytelling is more traditional and it can be approached as if it were alot of short stories; something to be dipped into at random until you decide you want to experience it as a whole.

[Heteronym]

Reading Milan Kundera at the moment, I can't help thinking it's due time he gets his Nobel.

[Clarissa]

I agree - I think Kundera is a possible contender.

I think it could be a good idea if they gave it to someone from Japan - Murakami?

[My name is red]

I agree on Amos OZ,pretty strog one for Nobel.

And if they give it to Kundera,i won't care about Nobels any more.