Kundera wins X Reino de Redonda Prize

[Daniel del Real]

Well, this is one of the most curious prizes I've ever seen, and it's not the prize in itself but the background it carries that makes it so unique.
First of all the Reino de Redonda(Redonda Kingdom) is ficticious. The supposed island, Redonda has a monarchic government, Xavier I, who is no other than Spanish writer Javier Mar?as. Since he took the vaccant throne in 1997 Marias has conferred titles during his reign mainly to writers and directors.

Since 2001 he has awarded this prize to non Spanish speakers who have helped and contributed with knowledge or exposure to the Spanish language/culture. It is judged by the the dukes and duchesses from Redonda Kingdom. The prize has been awarded to important personalities in the cultural world: 2001 John Maxwell Coetzee (Duke of Deshonra); 2002 John H. Elliott (Duke of Simancas); 2003 Claudio Magris (Duke of Segunda Mano); 2004 Eric Rohmer (Duke of Olalla); 2005 Alice Munro (Duchess of Ontario); 2006 Ray Bradbury (Duke of Diente de Le?n); 2007 George Steiner (Duke of Girona); 2008 Umberto Eco (Duke of la Isla del D?a de Antes); 2009 Marc Fumaroli (Duke of Houyhnhnms).

This year's winner is Czech novelsit Milan Kundera, now Duke of Amarcord.

Now what it's interesting and gives the prize validity is the personalities that judge the award. This year the people in charge to vote were:
Pedro Almod?var, Ant?nio Lobo Antunes, John Ashbery, Antony Beevor, Michel Braudeau, A S Byatt, J M Coetzee, Agust?n D?az Yanes, Roger Dobson, Sir John Elliot, Marc Fumaroli, Pere Gimferrer, Claudio Magris, Eduardo Mendoza, Ian Michael, Alice Munro, Orham Pamuck, Arturo P?rez-Reverte, Francisco Rico, Ian Robertson, Fernando Savater, Mario Vargas Llosa, Luis Antonio de Villena y Juan Villoro.

[peter_d]

A very intersting initiative by Mar?as. Who never wanted to be king of a fantasy kingdom? On Wikipedia I saw that he's not the only one claiming to be the king of Redonda. And Redonda is not a fictitious island. It really exists as a rocky uninhabited island somewhere between St Nevis and Montserrat.

[lenz]

I read a story somewhere by an British writer, I think, about the Redonda literary Kingdom. It's about a scruffy old tramp who sees a book in a rare books shop and gets all excited because it's about the Kingdom of Redonda and some of the writers who had been made dukes by the supposed king. Dylan Thomas was supposed to be one. The tramp is actually a poet who claims to be the King of Redonda and raves about this to some other scruffy old poets outside the shop. The shopkeeper gets very nervous because he thinks they want to steal a much more expensive book. That's it - or all I can remember. It's more about the shopkeeper not recognizing a real treasure when he sees it. I'm glad someone's keeping the funny old idea alive, though.

[Bjorn]

I hadn't heard of this prize before, but I have to say I love the idea.

Apparently the island is real, though it's uninhabited. Kingdom of Redonda - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The prize has been awarded to important personalities in the cultural world: 2001 John Maxwell Coetzee (Duke of Deshonra); 2002 John H. Elliott (Duke of Simancas); 2003 Claudio Magris (Duke of Segunda Mano); 2004 Eric Rohmer (Duke of Olalla); 2005 Alice Munro (Duchess of Ontario); 2006 Ray Bradbury (Duke of Diente de Le?n); 2007 George Steiner (Duke of Girona); 2008 Umberto Eco (Duke of la Isla del D?a de Antes); 2009 Marc Fumaroli (Duke of Houyhnhnms).

This year's winner is Czech novelsit Milan Kundera, now Duke of Amarcord.

Anyone feel like decoding their titles? Coetzee's seems to be inspired by Disgrace, Bradbury's by Dandelion Wine and Eco's obviously by The Island Of The Day Before. I've never heard of Fumaroli, but I'm guessing he's written something based on Gulliver's Travels?

[Mirabell]

I've never heard of Fumaroli, but I'm guessing he's written something based on Gulliver's Travels?

Dunno, ages ago I read a book of his about the Querelle.


edit: aha. according to http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Fumaroli he's written a book called this

Exercices de lecture : De Rabelais ? Paul Val?ry, Gallimard, ? Biblioth?que des id?es ?, 2006, 778 p

[learna]

A very inventive prize with a beautiful story.

Here there is "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" by Milan Kundera online:

The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

( from page 2).

I have not read yet.

[Daniel del Real]

Anyone feel like decoding their titles? Coetzee's seems to be inspired by Disgrace, Bradbury's by Dandelion Wine and Eco's obviously by The Island Of The Day Before. I've never heard of Fumaroli, but I'm guessing he's written something based on Gulliver's Travels?

That'd be interesting to find out. Kundera fans out there, do you know why was he named Duke of Amarcord?

[learna]

Is it associated with Fellini ( Amarcord is one of his famous films)?

[Stiffelio]

Members and award recipients in the Reino de Redonda are not necessarily or exclusively writers. The alusions of the names are supposedly a private joke between Mar?as and the members.