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Friday, October 10, 2008

Nobel Prize in Literature Announced

And surprise, surprise, it is not an American -- just as Horace Engdahl, permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, which administers the award, predicted in a very controversial pronouncement. (American lit. is too insular, he said -- see my earlier post.)


The winner is prolific French writer Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio.

According to an article in Label France, a magazine published by the French government, his work reflects concerns about the health of the planet, the intolerance of Western thought, and a fascination with Native Americans.

So there is American input, after all. But does this mean that Americans will read his books? Probably not, according to the abstract of an interview with GalleyCat.

1 comment:

Nelson Wattie said...

That American readers will 'probably not' read Clezio neatly illustrates Engdahl's point about their provincial tastes and awareness. In fact, Clezio is published in American English by a significantly insignificant but enthusiastic publisher in Boston.