Welcome and Introductions

[Elise]

I noticed that there are other prestigious international literary prizes, such as the Man Booker International Prize. Does anyone know what, specifically, the Nobel Prize criteria are? For instance, some of this work I liked less than others - people who never won. Why were they chosen? Is it political, humanitarian, or a full-career award?

[Angus]

Hi Elise, there is no defined set of criteria in selecting the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature. "[...] to the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction is all that we have.

But if you take a look at the works of Nobel winners, they tackle historical, political, and social issues. It is not awarded for a single work (like most awards). It's more like the last item you mentioned, a full-career award.

[[deleted user]]

David (Dafydd) wrote: "Now we've got the group up and running again it would be nice if new members could introduce themselves. Just a few words about you, your reading habits and which Nobel Laureates you are particula..."

Hello everybody.

I'm very excited that I found this group. I believe that the Nobel laureates in literature are really something special, and there's always a lot more to and around their writing than just the novels and poems. To fully appreciate why their works are exceptional, one always has to be aware or look into their background, their countries' backgrounds, the culture, the history. It's not an easy feast, but really worth it.

David (Dafydd) I'm so happy to read that Sienkiewicz is one of your favorites. Being from Poland (I've only lived in the States for the past 10 years), I'm of course slightly partial to Polish authors, but I also think they don't get the recognition they're due. I don't particularly enjoy poetry but Czesław Miłosz and Wisława Szymborska wrote it beautifully.
Also Władysław Stanisław Reymont is one of my faves.

To get away from Poland a little:-), I absolutely love Sigrid Undset. She has no equals in my mind. Her Kristin Lavransdatter is just beyond words beautiful. I'll be getting to her The Master of Hestviken soon.

I will also be reading the most recent book by Herta Müller, The Hunger Angel: A Novel. Anyone read it? Any thoughts?

[[deleted user]]

Lila wrote: "David (Dafydd) wrote: "Now we've got the group up and running again it would be nice if new members could introduce themselves. Just a few words about you, your reading habits and which Nobel Laur..."

Hi Lila, and welcome to the group. I have to confess I've had Kristin Lavransdatter on my shelf for a number of years just waiting for a suitable opportunity to read it, as ever, so many books and so little time. The only Herta Miller I've read is that very bleak The Land of Green Plums, after that I hesitate to go much further with this author. Let us know how you get on with The Hunger Angel.

[Angus]

Lila: Welcome! I am excited about Muller's new novel (and I wish to have a copy of it soon). I think you should go with it. I've read The Land of Green Plums, and unlike David, it made me want to read more of Muller.

[Lex]

I am Lex Dutch transplant living in the USA. As some others have mentioned I do not look specifically for Nobel winners but as it happens I either already have read quite a few books by the winner (Gordimer) or I buy a book that sound interesting enough to read which happens to be from a Nobel laureate. At present my favorites are Pamuk and Kipling.

[[deleted user]]

Hi Lex and welcome to the group. Do I detect that Kipling might be about to enjoy something of a revival? It seems to me he has for too long been regarded as a major representative of colonial times and all the baggage that that implies. 'Kim' was my favorite book as a child, and I find some of his poetry wonderfully entertaining eg Barrack Room Ballads. Went off him a bit after The Jungle Book was 'Disneyised'.

[Ron]

Hi my name is Ron and I'm from Toronto, Canada. I'm doing a challenge with a good friend to read at least one work of all Nobel laureates and I'm glad to have found this group to guide us through this journey. Years ago, I got introduced to Gabriel Garcia Marquez and his magnum opus, One Hundred Years of Solitude. I was blown away by that book and reading it was such an experience! This single book gave me an enormous appreciation of literature and fiction.

[Lex]

David (Dafydd) wrote: "Hi Lex and welcome to the group. Do I detect that Kipling might be about to enjoy something of a revival? It seems to me he has for too long been regarded as a major representative of colonial ti..."

Yes I think Kipling is making somewhat of a revival. I do believe the Disney stigma has hurt him. I think Kim is a great book too.

[[deleted user]]

Ron wrote: "Hi my name is Ron and I'm from Toronto, Canada. I'm doing a challenge with a good friend to read at least one work of all Nobel laureates and I'm glad to have found this group to guide us through t..."

Hi Ron and welcome to the group. I think your challenge will be very enjoyable, the sheer diversity of Nobel Laureates ensures that there is rarely a dull moment for dedicated Nobel followers and our minds are always being challenged.

[[deleted user]]

Angus wrote: "Lila: Welcome! I am excited about Muller's new novel (and I wish to have a copy of it soon). I think you should go with it. I've read The Land of Green Plums, and unlike David, it made me want to r..."

I finished The Hunger Angel: A Novel and I cannot believe how incredibly gifted Muller is. It's a rare talent when the writing is awe-inspiring. I could come up with many adjectives here but I think awe-inspiring is the most accurate. At first I was tempted to write that this book should be read by everyone, but I scratched that off from my review when I looked at people saying that it was monotonous, too dreary, it dragged because there was no plot, etc. I don't care if I sound snobbish, but some people clearly should just stay away from books like The Hunger Angel and keep reading their cozy mysteries and erotica books with plenty of action and plot. You know it deals with life in gulags and the lifelong consequences of it. So what exactly do you expect? 'Oh, life's tough but no matter what, you get yourself out of the suffering, you go through five stages of grief and go on to live happily ever after, so to not offend the sensibilities of those close to you. Otherwise you're selfish and self-indulgent' kind of book? Apparently so.

There of course will be others who won't like the style of writing or any other element of this novel and that's perfectly fine (we don't all have to love the same books) but I'd hope that they would give a thoughtful opinion that is due The Hunger Angel.

[Angus]

Lila: I hear you. It annoys me when books such as The Hunger Angel or any other book written by a Nobel laureate is hated because they do not feed on the fantasies of the readers.

Lubov: Hello and welcome to the group! It's a little quiet here, but let's try to keep things alive. :D

[[deleted user]]

Lubov wrote: "Hello everyone!
My name is Lubov, I live in Saint-Petersburg (Russia). So far I've read Pamuk, Pinter, Golding, Marquez, Solzhenitsin, Sholokhov, Camus, Buck, Bunin and few more authors from the li..."

Hi Lubov and welcome to the group.

[Jody]

Hello, I'm Jody from Bethesda, Maryland. Reading the Nobels will be one of my new "empty nest" projects, as both of my kids head off to college this August. I haven't gotten too deep into the list, but so far this summer I have read Beloved, Humboldt's Gift and am halfway through A Bend in the River. Looking forward to sharing all of your insights and getting acquainted with authors I've not read before.

[[deleted user]]

Jody wrote: "Hello, I'm Jody from Bethesda, Maryland. Reading the Nobels will be one of my new "empty nest" projects, as both of my kids head off to college this August. I haven't gotten too deep into the list,..."

Hi Jody and welcome to the group. We'll be starting Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter soon, perhaps you will join us with this? If not please chip in when we nominate our future reads. incidently, I when I was at uni I lived in the village of Bethesda in North Wales.

[Jody]

Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter sounds good to me. I'll join you!

[Aasinathena]

Hi I'm Ashie and I live in Sri Lanka.Hope to have a good time and good books in this group. And a great discovery too.
Thanks :) !!!

[[deleted user]]

❤ Ashie wrote: "Hi I'm Ashie and I live in Sri Lanka.Hope to have a good time and good books in this group. And a great discovery too.
Thanks :) !!!"

Hi Ashie and welcome to the group. We start reading Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa tomorrow, join us if you feel like it.

[Elise]

Hi David and all these people I am learning from! I've been away from Goodreads, but am delighted to see this group going strong. Amazing the reach all over the world! How differently someone from Sri Lanka, Poland, Russia, Canada etc. would feel about a book! Also, many want to read one book by each Nobel winner. What about reading all (or Many) works by one winner? I've only read more than one by Lessing (disappointed as I already said), Márquez, Steinbeck and Hemingway. Who else would others' feel was worthy?

[[deleted user]]

Elise wrote: "Hi David and all these people I am learning from! I've been away from Goodreads, but am delighted to see this group going strong. Amazing the reach all over the world! How differently someone from ..."

Hi Elise, and good to have you back. Interesting idea, however I think that it would be difficult to agree on a Nobel prizewinner that would be sufficiently attractive to a majority of members.

I think we should hold open a thread for the current winner in a particular year, as we have for Tomas Transtrommer this year, although I don't think we have many members who would claim to be poetry enthusiasts and so this thread has not attracted much comment.

As to who else I would feel worthy, Sienkiewicz is a favorite of mine but I would be astonished if others feel the same way about him as I do. Saramago is another of my favorites and someone who, I think, has a wider appeal.

[Elise]

I'm sure you are right about that consensus - could never happen. I'm going to look into Sienkiewicz and Saramongo though, since I know nothing about them. I like poetry in small doses - and if I understand it or have someone to explain it to me. As a writer, I use a lot of imagery (metaphor, simile), but it has to anchor on action for me. Fun to see favs from all these countries though! I'd like to see more of that - not just writers, but specific books.

[Katy]

Hi I am Kathy from Idaho, USA. I just retired this year from teaching (mathematics at the high school level). I joined the group for an extra push to read more Nobel winners.

[[deleted user]]

Hi Kathy and welcome to the group. You've still time to enjoy Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter before we move on to The Tin Drum in the middle of August. Also nominations are open for our September read. We welcome comments and insights on all things 'Nobel'.

[Mary]

Mary Okeke, African Literature Blogger at www.maryokekereview.blogspot.com

Please feel free to join, follow and leave your opinion.
Cheers.

[Elise]

Hi Mary, I belong to a reading group that focuses on classics like Hardy, Stendahl, Forester, Graham Greene. I've been trying to get them to read something from Africa or the Middle East. So far, we've read Chinua Achebe, wonderful! but no Nobel Prize winners. I know about Pamuk, but who else has won the NP from Africa?

[Mary]

Elise wrote: "Hi Mary, I belong to a reading group that focuses on classics like Hardy, Stendahl, Forester, Graham Greene. I've been trying to get them to read something from Africa or the Middle East. So far, w..."
Elise, hello there. There are four Noble Prize winners from the African Continent. They are Wole Soyinka, Desmond tutu, JM Coetzee, Nadine Gordimer and Naguib Mahfouz.

I hope you find their work interesting.

[[deleted user]]

The group read J M Coetzee's 'Disgrace' fairly recently and Naguib Mahfouz's 'Cairo trilogy' is well worth reading as is Wole Soyinka's 'Ake'.

If anyone wants to nominate a group read from among the African Literature Laureates, I'd being only too happy to support them.

[Elise]

Thanks, Mary and David. I'll take them that list - and thanks, David, for the specific books. Sometimes you hear of the authors, but have no idea where to begin to get into their work. I would welcome a group read from Africa because I know so little about the continent. I loved Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible and the old Isak Dinesen stories, but that was many years ago - and from such an outsider's viewpoint. The Nobel Prize winners are the best way to an insider's view.

[[deleted user]]

Elise wrote: "Thanks, Mary and David. I'll take them that list - and thanks, David, for the specific books. Sometimes you hear of the authors, but have no idea where to begin to get into their work. I would welc..."
By coincidence I met Barbara Kingsolver at the Hay Festival of Literature last week. She filled the venue where I was stewarding and then signed books for ages afterwards. I also chatted to her extremely patient husband/partner. I'd better get round to reading 'Poisonwood Bible' but you know how it is - so many books, so little time!

[Elise]

I've read many books by Kingsolver - I also love "Animal Dreams" - but PB is her best. Each of the voices is so distinct, so that you get the viewpoints of father (missionary), his wife and children regarding what is going on in Africa at that time, plus an amazing personal journey for each of these characters. Riveting. In fact, it's worth "our" time reading (or re-reading) it before we read African writers.

[[deleted user]]

Hello. My name is Neale and I'm from Vermont, USA. I have read a lot of Nobel winners, but Saramago, Camus, Hamsun, and Muller stand out.

[[deleted user]]

Neale wrote: "Hello. My name is Neale and I'm from Vermont, USA. I have read a lot of Nobel winners, but Saramago, Camus, Hamsun, and Muller stand out."

Hi Neale and welcome to the group. I agree with you about Saramago and Camus, I haven't read anything by Hamsun yet and I can't seem to warm to Muller but I'll keep trying.

[[deleted user]]

I notice that we have had a number of new members in 2013. It would be very good if the new members would introduce themselves in this thread.

Welcome to you all, and we look forward to finding out a little about you.

[Bjorn]

Oh, right.

Name's Björn, which as you might guess means I'm Swedish. As a heavy reader since childhood and a fan of literature that makes you think, I've always been fascinated by the Nobel (it doesn't hurt that when you like to discuss literature online, you'll frequently find yourself having to correct a lot of misunderstandings about the prize), and tried to read winners when they're announced if I'm not already familiar with them.

I also have this ongoing project where I try to make sure that at least half of the books I read are not written in the US, UK, or my home country. It's opened some really entertaining doors.

Among my favourite laureates so far are probably Lagerlöf, Hesse, Johnson, Singer, Jelinek and Müller. My current (and not necessarily realistic) list of favs to win it next time would include Ngugi, Malouf, Pynchon, Eco, Mantel, Hwang, Cartarescu, Didion... Though really, anyone but Roth or Dylan. :P

[[deleted user]]

Hi Bjorn and welcome to the group. I don't have such a hard and fast rule as you do, but I think that I unconsciously do much the same. Interesting you mention Malouf, I guess you are referring to David Malouf but have you tried Amin Maalouf? He's a writer that the Nobel committee really ought to consider, and I'm beginning to believe that Le Carre will miss out in much the same way as Graham Greene did- just a little bit too English.

[Bjorn]

Oh, actually I was referring to Amin - I haven't read David. I loved Leo Africanus, and The Crusades Through Arab Eyes is one of the most eye-opening popular history books I've read. I agree, he'd be an excellent choice.

[Elise]

This isn't about a Nobelist, but related to your favorite, Bjorn, Tamim Ansary's "Destiny Disrupted" is a world history through Arab (well, Muslim) eyes. He began this book as a series of lectures at San Francisco State Univ., and was asked to make it into a book. It's amazing - readable (even humorous, at times), and authentic. Nonfiction, of course.

[Bjorn]

Elise wrote: "This isn't about a Nobelist, but related to your favorite, Bjorn, Tamim Ansary's "Destiny Disrupted" is a world history through Arab (well, Muslim) eyes. He began this book as a series of lectures ..."

Thanks! I'll keep a lookout for that one.

[Cl.]

I'm gathering, Dafydd (Welsh spelling of David) has left this group?