Nobel Prize in Literature 2010

[Stewart]

The Swedish Academy have announced Mario Vargas Llosa as the Nobel laureate in Literature for 2010, citing :

"for his cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual's resistance, revolt, and defeat"

All that's now left to do is discuss the genius or folly of the Academy in their selection.

[anchomal]

I think he's a great choice, and fully deserved!

[Samuel Johnson]

First reactions: Wonderfully surprising and still so logical. I am completely happy with this choice. And of course: Spanish at last!

[Stiffelio]

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!

Viva Mario, carajo......I had frankly sort of given up hope so I'm very happy with this announcemnet.........And I'm actually reading one of his later novels right now, El Para?so en la Otra Esquina, which is terrific.

[Daniel del Real]

After all my ideological differences with Mario Vargas Llosa I'm really happy. The prize comes back to Spanish language and that makes everything to me. Besides, he's a genuinely great writer with an amazing body of works.

[miobrien]

I was shocked when I recognized the name "Llosa." (The first announcement was in Swedish, I assume.) And then I nodded in agreement. A wonderful pick.

Now I have to read more of his stuff!

[Diotima]

Congratulations!

[Pavel G. Vesnakov]

This is really a great choice .

[kpjayan]

This time no surprises.. Very well deserving...

[Corswandt]

I predicted a Spanish language writer would get it, but I suppose you can only brag if you got the actual winner right.

A good pick, and it seems the Swedish Academy is indeed sensible to the need of balancing awarding the prize both to representative authors from lesser know languages/literary traditions and to well known writers with a high public profile who are nonetheless still more than deserving.

[Latina]

Que felicidad!!! This is wonderful for Latin America and its literature.

[mjb881]

No better choice comes to mind, and given his age, excellent choice among several equals

[Daniel del Real]

Nobel academy also recognizes his work as essayist and dramatist as they state in the main page:

Peruvian by birth and a truly international citizen, the 2010 Nobel Laureate in Literature embraces multiple genres (novels, plays, essays), and politics too, in his commitment to social change.

We've already commented here how good he is as essayist making literary analysis. I've read his works about Les Miserables and Juan Carlos Onetti and he's able to deconstruct in a very intelligent way such complex minds like Hugo and Onetti.
Unfortunately I haven't read any of his plays. If someone does, please let us know how you find it as a playwright.

[Latina]

Unfortunately I haven't read any of his plays. If someone does, please let us know how you find it as a playwright.

I personally think that he is as good as playwright as a novelist or essayist. I would recommend you EL LOCO DE LOS BALCONES. A very clever one.

[JTolle]

Gotta say I'm very embarrassed for having mentioned at least three times that neither Carlos Fuentes or Mario Vargas Llosa had a chance. Seems like a worthy candidate gotta pick up something of his in the next month or so I think.

[Amoxcalli]

I've only read The Feast of the Goat by Mario Vargas Llosa. I can't judge his oeuvre, but based on that novel, I'd say it's deserved. I really rather enjoyed the novel. This is also the first time someone I already read wins the prize.

Nevertheless, I was hoping Kundera would win it. Not today, maybe next year?

[Eric]

Let me say this: I've never read anything by him. So I shall neither cheer nor grumble. I was betting on Ngugi or Transtr?mer. I noticed that he wasn't mentioned much during the last hundred or so postings on the Nobel Speculation thread. It would be interesting to look back at that thread, now it is closed, and see who made the most perceptive comments about him there. Regarding oneself as a genius because you said somewhere that a Latin American author would win is not quite enough to get you a prize for looking into the future as a soothsayer.

Anyway, I hope this Peruvian who is a Spanish citizen and teaches a lot at Princeton University is a worthy choice. I imagine so, but as I've said, I've never read anything by him.

[Scott89119]

I haven't read him yet, but I'm sure this is a very satisfying choice. It's also oddly heartening to see one of the big boys actually win the damn thing. I was utterly convinced Ngugi was going to get it. Great day for Spanish-language lit!

[peter_d]

Too bad I couldn't follow it live. It's surprising in the sense that Vargas Llosa was less predicted as a winner than in other years. I never read anything by him, so I can't say I am happy or unhappy with it. Good thing is that the tradition of leaking has been broken. (although I am slightly disappointed that it has not gone to Ngugi)

[Eric]

P.S. When I said I'd never read anything by Mario Vargas Llosa, this is not 100% true. Some years ago, I read the first five chapters (out of twelve) of his pedagogical non-fiction book about how to write, called Cartas a un joven novelista, which I read in the Dutch translation Aan een jonge romanschrijver. But as I said, I've never read any of his fiction.