Hungarian author Laszlo Krasznahorkai has been named the recipient of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature, announced by the Swedish Academy. The prestigious award, valued at 11 million crowns (equivalent to $1.6 million Cdn), was bestowed upon Krasznahorkai for his remarkable body of work that, amidst apocalyptic themes, underscores the resilience of art.
At 71 years old, Krasznahorkai, who previously clinched the esteemed Man Booker International Prize, gained recognition primarily for his acclaimed 1989 novel, “The Melancholy of Resistance,” which later garnered the German Bestenliste Prize. Renowned American critic Susan Sontag hailed him as the “master of the apocalypse” within contemporary literature following her encounter with his work.
In an interview on the Nobel website, Krasznahorkai expressed surprise and pride at being included among the distinguished roster of literary icons. Currently in Germany, he plans to celebrate his achievement with friends in Frankfurt over a meal accompanied by port wine and champagne.
Despite his critical stance towards Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the past, Orban extended his congratulations to Krasznahorkai through a brief post. Born in Gyula, Hungary, Krasznahorkai’s narrative settings traverse various locales from central Europe to the Far East, drawing inspiration from his travels to China and Japan.
His breakthrough novel, “Satantango,” published in 1985, captivated readers with its portrayal of rural life amidst the backdrop of historical and social upheavals. Krasznahorkai, influenced by Franz Kafka’s literary style, acknowledged the profound impact Kafka’s works have had on his own writing.
Krasznahorkai’s longstanding collaboration with Hungarian filmmaker Bela Tarr has yielded cinematic adaptations of his works, including “Satantango,” a film that spans over seven hours. Notable laureates of the Nobel Prize in Literature over the years have included renowned figures such as George Bernard Shaw, Ernest Hemingway, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
The Nobel Prizes, including the Nobel Peace Prize and the Nobel in Economics, are traditionally presented during a ceremony on December 10th. The selection process for the peace prize saw an increase in the number of nominees this year, with 338 candidates proposed for consideration.
The Nobel committee for the peace prize announced that the recipient will be revealed on Friday, while the recipient of the Nobel in economics will be disclosed on Monday. The nominations for the peace prize closed on January 31st, with last year’s award bestowed upon the Japanese grassroots group Nihon Hidankyo, dedicated to advocating for a world free of nuclear weapons.