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The prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature for this year has been granted to the Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai, as revealed by the Nobel awarding body.

The Jury highlighted the 71-year-old's "gripping and imaginative oeuvre that, amidst apocalyptic dread, reaffirms the force of art."

An Esteemed Career of Apocalyptic Narratives

Krasznahorkai is known for his dystopian, pensive novels, which have garnered several accolades, for instance the recent National Book Award for literature in translation and the 2015 Man Booker International Prize.

A number of of his books, notably his fictional works Satantango and another major work, have been made into feature films.

Initial Success

Hailing in Gyula, Hungary in 1954, Krasznahorkai first made his mark with his 1985 first book his seminal novel, a dark and mesmerising representation of a collapsing village society.

The book would go on to secure the Man Booker International Prize recognition in translation decades after, in 2013.

A Unique Prose Technique

Often described as postmodernist, Krasznahorkai is known for his extended, meandering phrases (the dozen sections of Satantango each are a solitary block of text), dystopian and pensive motifs, and the kind of persistent power that has led critics to compare him to literary giants like Kafka.

Satantango was widely transformed into a seven-hour movie by cinematic artist Béla Tarr, with whom Krasznahorkai has had a lengthy creative partnership.

"The author is a significant epic writer in the Central European tradition that extends through Kafka to the Austrian writer, and is characterised by absurdist elements and grotesque excess," stated Anders Olsson, chair of the Nobel committee.

He described Krasznahorkai’s writing as having "developed towards … flowing language with extended, meandering phrases devoid of full stops that has become his hallmark."

Literary Praise

The critic Susan Sontag has called the author as "the contemporary Hungarian expert of the apocalyptic," while the writer W.G. Sebald applauded the broad relevance of his perspective.

Only a few of Krasznahorkai’s books have been published in the English language. The reviewer Wood once wrote that his books "circulate like rare currency."

Worldwide Travels

Krasznahorkai’s literary path has been influenced by travel as much as by his writing. He first exited socialist Hungary in 1987, spending a period in West Berlin for a grant, and later found inspiration from Asia – especially Mongolia and China – for works such as a specific work, and his book on China.

While working on War and War, he explored across Europe and lived for a time in Ginsberg's New York home, stating the famous writer's backing as crucial to finalizing the book.

Krasznahorkai on His Work

Asked how he would explain his work in an discussion, Krasznahorkai answered: "Characters; then from these characters, words; then from these terms, some short sentences; then further lines that are more extended, and in the primary very long phrases, for the duration of decades. Beauty in prose. Enjoyment in hell."

On readers discovering his writing for the initial encounter, he added: "If there are individuals who are new to my novels, I couldn’t recommend any specific title to read to them; instead, I’d advise them to venture outside, sit down at a location, possibly by the banks of a creek, with nothing to do, no thoughts, just being in silence like boulders. They will eventually encounter an individual who has encountered my novels."

Award Background

Prior to the declaration, bookmakers had listed the frontrunners for this year's award as the Chinese writer, an avant garde from China novelist, and Krasznahorkai.

The Nobel Honor in Literature has been presented on one hundred seventeen past events since the early 20th century. Recent laureates have included the French author, Dylan, Gurnah, Louise Glück, the Austrian and the Polish author. The previous year's honoree was Han Kang, the South Korean author best known for her acclaimed novel.

Krasznahorkai will officially be presented with the medal and document in a function in the month of December in the Swedish capital.

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