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The world-renowned Nobel Prize in Literature for this year has been awarded to from Hungary author László Krasznahorkai, as declared by the Nobel awarding body.

The Jury commended the 71-year-old's "powerful and prophetic body of work that, in the midst of end-times fear, reaffirms the power of the arts."

A Renowned Path of Apocalyptic Fiction

Krasznahorkai is renowned for his dystopian, somber novels, which have garnered many accolades, such as the 2019 National Book Award for literature in translation and the prestigious Man Booker International Prize.

Many of his works, among them his fictional works his debut and The Melancholy of Resistance, have been turned into feature films.

Debut Novel

Hailing in Gyula, Hungary in 1954, Krasznahorkai first gained recognition with his 1985 first book his seminal novel, a dark and mesmerising depiction of a disintegrating village society.

The book would eventually secure the Man Booker International Prize honor in English nearly three decades later, in 2013.

A Distinctive Prose Technique

Commonly referred to as avant-garde, Krasznahorkai is known for his extended, meandering prose (the twelve chapters of his novel each are a single paragraph), dystopian and somber themes, and the kind of relentless intensity that has led critics to liken him to Gogol, Melville and Kafka.

The novel was famously transformed into a seven-hour movie by cinematic artist Béla Tarr, with whom Krasznahorkai has had a lengthy working relationship.

"Krasznahorkai is a significant writer of epic tales in the European heritage that includes Kafka to Bernhard, and is defined by the absurd and grotesque excess," said the Nobel chair, leader of the Nobel committee.

He portrayed Krasznahorkai’s style as having "progressed to … flowing syntax with lengthy, intricate phrases lacking punctuation that has become his trademark."

Literary Praise

Sontag has referred to the author as "the modern from Hungary master of the apocalyptic," while the writer W.G. Sebald applauded the broad relevance of his outlook.

Just a small number of Krasznahorkai’s works have been rendered in the English language. The literary critic Wood once wrote that his books "circulate like precious items."

Worldwide Travels

Krasznahorkai’s professional journey has been molded by journeys as much as by literature. He first left communist his homeland in the late 80s, staying a year in the city for a fellowship, and later drew inspiration from Eastern Asia – particularly China and Mongolia – for works such as one of his titles, and Destruction and Sorrow Beneath the Heavens.

While working on War and War, he journeyed extensively across the continent and lived for a time in the legendary poet's New York home, stating the legendary poet's support as vital to finalizing the book.

Writer's Own Words

Questioned how he would explain his work in an interview, Krasznahorkai answered: "Letters; then from letters, words; then from these words, some concise lines; then more sentences that are lengthier, and in the primary exceptionally extended phrases, for the duration of three and a half decades. Beauty in prose. Fun in despair."

On audiences discovering his writing for the initial encounter, he continued: "For any individuals who haven’t read my works, I would refrain from advising any specific title to explore to them; instead, I’d suggest them to go out, rest at a location, possibly by the side of a brook, with nothing to do, no thoughts, just remaining in silence like boulders. They will eventually come across a person who has previously read my works."

Nobel Prize Context

Ahead of the reveal, oddsmakers had ranked the favourites for this year's award as the Chinese writer, an experimental from China writer, and Krasznahorkai himself.

The Nobel Prize in Writing has been awarded on 117 prior instances since 1901. Recent recipients are Ernaux, Dylan, the Tanzanian-born writer, Glück, Handke and Olga Tokarczuk. Last year’s honoree was the South Korean writer, the South Korean author renowned for her acclaimed novel.

Krasznahorkai will formally accept the medal and diploma in a function in the month of December in Stockholm, Sweden.

Additional details forthcoming