The Next Generation: Future Nobel Prizewinners?

My favorite writers who are on the yournger side are Max Porter, Eleanor Catton, Jumpa Lahiri, Charlotte Mandelson, N. K. Jemisin, Kawakami Kieko, Murata Sayaka, and Colson Whitehead. I don't know if they would be considered Nobel material, especially since many are not very prolific, but I would be very happy to see their names in the mix. Lahiri and Whitehead seem to be serious contenders.

I read Lahiri's The Namesake recently, it had Nobel quality written all over it - I read The Lowland when it was published and had mostly forgotten how good it was. She just needs to write a bit more.
 

redhead

Blahblahblah
Based on only one book (Natsu Monogatari or Breast and Eggs), I just didn't like Kawakami Mieko. I think there are a lot of great Japanese female writers one or two works (or translations) away from being a real contender to the Nobel: Yu Miri, Kakuta Mitsuyo and of course Ogawa Yoko.

Thoughts on Tawada? I find her uneven but think she could have a real shot
 

alik-vit

Reader
He and Fernanda Melchor seem like nailed-on laureate candidates, to me. Clemens Meyer & Mathias Enard aren't far off, either.
Clemens Meyer is absolutely new name for me, thanks.

IMHO, "Compass" by Enard was a little bit overwhelmed with "cultural information" on music, oriental studies, etc. And "Hurricane Season" is very impressive book, indeed.
 

Daniel del Real

Moderator
Thoughts on Tawada? I find her uneven but think she could have a real shot
I have only read two novels, both originally written in German, The Naked Eye and Memoir of a Polar Bear and still don't have any greatness in her works. I'd like to read her novels in Japanese and see if it's different, probably The Emissary which is about to come in Spanish translation.
 

Daniel del Real

Moderator
He and Fernanda Melchor seem like nailed-on laureate candidates, to me. Clemens Meyer & Mathias Enard aren't far off, either.

Oh no, not Fernanda Melchor please! She only had one succesful novel and then the next was a total letdown.

Probably Mariana Enríquez but she's becoming very popular and I don't know if that could affect her output.
 

Daniel del Real

Moderator
Clemens Meyer is absolutely new name for me, thanks.

IMHO, "Compass" by Enard was a little bit overwhelmed with "cultural information" on music, oriental studies, etc. And "Hurricane Season" is very impressive book, indeed.
I had exactly the same reaction when reading Compass, too much cultural baggage overshadowing the story he was trying to tell.
 

alik-vit

Reader
I have only read two novels, both originally written in German, The Naked Eye and Memoir of a Polar Bear and still don't have any greatness in her works. I'd like to read her novels in Japanese and see if it's different, probably The Emissary which is about to come in Spanish translation.
Did you finished "Memoir of a Polar Bear"?
 

alik-vit

Reader
I did. Last of the three parts was the worst.
It's interesting, because I had opposite reaction))) imho, scenes with the ghost of Michael Jackson were best in the book.
I did read her "Night trains with suspects" too and it was funny, but ... just funny and inventive.
 

redhead

Blahblahblah
I have only read two novels, both originally written in German, The Naked Eye and Memoir of a Polar Bear and still don't have any greatness in her works. I'd like to read her novels in Japanese and see if it's different, probably The Emissary which is about to come in Spanish translation.

I had heard good things about The Emissary but didn’t like it at all. But some of her novellas really wowed me
 

Piblo

Well-known member
Oh no, not Fernanda Melchor please! She only had one succesful novel and then the next was a total letdown.
I agree with you on this. She did Temporada de Huracanes and then started to repeat herself.

She creates a press movement with that book, but his oeuvre is not that interesting.
 

Verkhovensky

Well-known member
Does anyone think Jesmyn Ward has a chance as far as American writers go? Is she good?

She did win National Book Award twice, which puts her in the company of only six people - including Bellow (who won three times), Faulkner, Roth, Updike and William Gaddis. So basically the most respectable American writers (ok, I don't know much about William Gaddis) of the 20th century, three of whom won the Nobel and two of whom were perennial candidates at least in the eyes of the public.
 
Last edited:
Does anyone think Jesmyn Ward has a chance as far as American writers go? Is she good?

She did win National Book Award twice, which puts her in the company of only six people - including Bellow (who won three times), Faulkner, Roth, Updike and William Gaddis. So basically the most respectable American writers (ok, I don't know much about William Gaddis) of the 20th century, two of whom won the Nobel and two of whom were perennial candidates at least in the eyes of the public.

I read Sing, Unburied, Sing when it came out... I remember it being pretty impressive, though I'm a bit hazy on the detail.
 
Top