Nobel Prize in Literature 2019

[Stewart]

The Nobel Prize in Literature 2019 has been awarded to Peter Handke "for an influential work that with linguistic ingenuity has explored the periphery and the specificity of human experience."

 

[Bartleby]

Freaking told you so

Yeah, just better explaining something I've said a couple of posts before (in a horribly criptic way): his situation to me feels much like Mo Yan's. Yan is himself a controversial figure, hence the outcry from numerous people, among them nobel laureate Herta Müller, for his supposed collaboration with the chinese government in censoring other writers' works. And nevertheless the SA chose to award him because they put these two things on a scale, Yan's public life, and his literary talents, and it went heavier on the latter.

The same I believe coould happen with Handke. From what I've read and understood (and I believe I've linked a comprehensive defense of him from some journalist who claims to have read the texts Handke published that stirred the controversy) he just went to this problematic political figure's funeral, and said he was there to bear witness to all the things that were happening in that country (slovene?). Boom. And what followed is not at all surprising due to our current times being the way they are, in which you cannot expose your thought and generate a conversation (and perhaps even change your own opinion by doing so) if said thought only even remotely seems to go against what a so-ready-to-feel-offended loud woke crowd is for, for then you are immediately "cancelled".
so I just think in his case the Academy will think his Work to have the loudest sound as well.

Best day ever!
The wait is justified

 

[redhead]

Well, it's unexpected to see him win, but his writing certainly deserves it.

 

[Bartleby]

Now we see the so called world (wink wink) catch fire.

But one thing is for sure. A lot of writers support him and will defend ardently the choice.

 

[peter_d]

Unexpected in a way, but not a total surprise as in a name no one mentioned before. I never read anything by him, perhaps that will change. Personally I'm way more excited about the 2018 laureate.

 

[spacepirate]

yes an apologist for the Milosevic regime!

 

[Danceny]

This one was a huge surprise to me. Will be interesting to see how the german-speaking media reacts to it. I’ve only read little excerpts by him so far, and I remember not liking them. Maybe I will give him a second try.

 

[Stewart]

Just checked my shelves and I found his The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick (1970), translated by Michael Roloff, 1972

Large enough print to make its 133 pages look like it may be a breeze to get through.

 

[Bartleby]

You can say there were questions asked about the handke controversy in this press thing, but its all in swedish =/

 

[spacepirate]

On a few levels I find this choice a bit baffling, especially now. Why would the Academy wish to court more controversy and criticism at this time?

 

[Justareader]

It's a great choice. Peter Handke is an excellent writer. But it's a little bit bizarre that the Nobel Prize Committee had balls big enough to make such a brave choice against all this contemporary political atmosphere. Maybe it's an example that even real literature can sometimes win.

 

[redhead]

I think they’re trying to reassert themselves as an institution that puts literature above politics. Still, there could have been less controversial ways of doing this... I have mixed thoughts about this award, as I have doubts about separating politics and writing, but at least when you look at his writing he’s a deserving winner, I suppose

 

[Daniel del Real]

I guess this is a good proof the Academy, at least this time, was focusing only on the literary and not in the geopolitic. Based on his literary merits, there is no controversy at all for Handke as he is a terrific writer.

 

[spacepirate]

But you know there's like politics and then there's like actually being friends with genocidal war criminals...

 

[Daniel del Real]

But you know there's like politics and then there's like actually being friends with genocidal war criminals...

This is not the Nobel Peace Prize.
Have you read Handke? If not, read him before you whine.

 

[Bartleby]

On a few levels I find this choice a bit baffling, especially now. Why would the Academy wish to court more controversy and criticism at this time?

Because it’s a Literary prize, not a political one, as I’ve been saying. Not only me, but Kjell Espmark on his book on the prize and on the nobel website: “Naturally, there is a political aspect of any international literary prize. It is, however, necessary to make a distinction between political effects and political intentions. The former are unavoidable – and often unpredictable. The latter are expressly banned by the Academy.”

They should, and did, think of awarding writers who contributed greatly to Literature, not those who contributed to some activist cause. And that Handke certainly has! He’s one of those essential figures of his time and beyond, and had the academy snubbed him it would be looked backwards with the same regret of all those great writers passed on in the past. You just cannot think of contemporary german Literature without bumping on Handke.

 

[Daniel del Real]

Guess my only complain to both these awards is that, it kept being the eurocentric prize that Anders Olsson said he wanted to distance from.

 

[spacepirate]

Oh darling, I never said Handke wasn't a great writer. But there's plenty of great world writers out there who aren't apologists for genocide. It's really not hard to find some!

 

[Daniel del Real]

Because it’s a Literary prize, not a political one, as I’ve been saying. Not only me, but Kjell Espmark on his book on the prize and on the nobel website: “Naturally, there is a political aspect of any international literary prize. It is, however, necessary to make a distinction between political effects and political intentions. The former are unavoidable – and often unpredictable. The latter are expressly banned by the Academy.”

They should, and did, think of awarding writers who contributed greatly to Literature, not those who contributed to some activist cause. And that Handke certainly has! He’s one of those essential figures of his time and beyond, and had the academy snubbed him it would be looked backwards with the same regret of all those great writers passed on on the past.

Correct. Also, I see it like a late homage to Thomas Bernhard, one of my favorite writers of the XX century. Handke was greatly influenced by him, and although they didn't like each other (especially from Bernhard to Handke) you cannot avoid seeing the resemblance.

 

[Johnny]

A very unexpected and daring choice, but he’s a magnificent writer. From memory he was one of Sebald’s favorite writers. So much for a move away from European literature!