Norwegian author Jon Fosse awarded 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature

The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2023 has been awarded to Norwegian author Jon Fosse “for his innovate plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable.” “His immense oeuvre written in Norwegian Nynorsk and spanning a variety of genres consists of a wealth of plays, novels, poetry collections, essays, children’s books and translations. While he is today one of the most widely performed playwrights in the world, he has also become increasingly recognised for his prose,” nobelprize.org said. Who selects the Nobel Prize laureates in literature? The Swedish Academy is responsible for the selection of the Nobel Prize laureates in literature, and has 18 members. The Nobel Committee for Literature is the working body that evaluates the nominations and presents its recommendations to the Swedish Academy, and comprises four to five members. As many as 116 Nobel Prizes in Literature have been awarded since 1901. It was not awarded on seven occasions: in 1914, 1918, 1935, 1940, 1941, 1942, and 1943. Stating the reason of not awarding the prestigious prize in Literature in the above mentioned years, the Nobel Foundation said: “If none of the works under consideration is found to be of the importance indicated in the first paragraph, the prize money shall be reserved until the following year. If, even then, the prize cannot be awarded, the amount shall be added to the Foundation’s restricted funds.” During World War I and II, fewer Nobel Prizes were awarded. As many as 120 individuals have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature 1901-2023. To date, the youngest literature laureate is Rudyard Kipling, best known for The Jungle Book, who was 41 years old when he was awarded the literature prize in 1907. Meanwhile, the oldest Nobel Prize laureate in literature to date is Doris Lessing, who was 88 years old when she was awarded the Prize in 2007.