Hello Gentle Reader
The season has now started. Autumn is the season of the awards and prizes. The Booker Prize, the German Book Prize – and the most lucrative literary prize and most prestigious (if a bit eccentric one) The Nobel Prize for Literature. The betting site Ladbrokes has now offered, their own rough estimate, of who has the odds to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.
One again, the Japanese pop literature novelist is the front runner to win the Nobel Prize for literature, with an estimated chance of 3/1. I personally don’t think Murakami has the qualifications to win the award. That being said; some of have argued with the release of his monumental novel “1Q84,” he was able to leave his own, town of talking cats; and begin to really expand as a writer. That still being said, I don’t think personally he has the qualifications. Murakami is an interesting – if a bit entertaining writer; but I don’t think the merit is all there just yet to be honest. Then again I certainly do not think last year’s winner had any merit whatsoever either.
The next runner up is Joyce Carol Oats. She’s a factory of mass production of writing. This brings into question quantity over quality. She has written most likely well over a hundred novels. Does an author have anything uniquely say, when they’ve written so much? Do they risk repeating themselves, over and over and over again? Many feel that Joyce Carol Oates does not have a chance; based on her large catalogue of novels, short story collections, poetry collections, essays and memories, and other novels and works written under her pseudonyms. Oats odd are 6/1.
Peter Nadas is next in line. The Hungarian novelist is known for large, and philosophically drenched, and demanding works. His novel “Parallel Stories,” is a phone book! It runs to about one thousand, one hundred and fifty two pages. “A Book of Memories,” runs to seven hundred and twenty pages. That being said, Peter Nadas is known for an interesting, oeuvre of work. A strong high quality of writing, and philosophical discussion. He is one of Hungary’s leading writers. The odds for Nadas: 7/1
Perennial poet and highly speculated South Korean poet Ko Un, runs in at 10/1. There is not much I can say about the poet, that I have not already said. I own his collection of poems “Three Way Tavern,” and am surprised by his interest in the exterior world, not the interior world – and his ability to use poetry as a form to tell other peoples stories – not just his own observations.
Here comes Canada’s best bet to winning the Nobel Prize for Literature: Alice Munro. A master of the short story; whose only true rival in to that claim is William Trevor. I personally hope for Alice Munro to win – for a few reasons; but to see the short story being taken more seriously not just as the poor cousin of the novel. Munro’s odd are 12/1.
Further down the line is Irish short story writer and novelist William Trevor at 33/1. Seamus Heaney, Ireland’s living Nobel Laureate, recently passed away. Is William Trevor going to pick up the mantle? – I sometimes like to fantasise, Trevor and Munro sharing the award.
At 14/1 is Adunis, the Syrian poet, and the grandfather of Modern Arabic poetry. Syria has been in the news a lot, over the years. With its rising civil war, the alleged use of chemical weapons, and increased pressure from western nations to cease fire – while some are calling on strikes; and others saying any illegal strike, will be met with the regime being supported by other nations. It’s a tricky diplomatic situation.
Assia Djebar is also at 14/1. Many feel she is a strong contender. She’s from a North African country, she is female, and feminist and political oriented body of work. I have not read anything by, Assia Djebar but I know she won the Neustadt International Prize for Literature in nineteen-ninety six.
Next comes the usual bemoaned bride’s maid, of not getting the Nobel, Philip Roth. Roth has been actively seeking the Prize. In fact it’s such a touchy subject with him, that he has not won the Prize (‘yet’,) that interviewers are often advised, at not referring to the contentious discussion, with the begrudged author. Some have called on the Swedish Academy, to award the prize to Roth, as a ‘retirement gift,’ – but then again missing the universal squabbling and outrage of an American not winning the award, and the “Who?” that follows, would be sorely missed.
Amos Oz is at 16/1 as well. The liberal Israeli thinker, and writer, just won the Franz Kafka Prize in two-thousand and thirteen. Maybe it’s his year.
Ngugi wa Thiog’o is at 20/1. Speculation has been on the rise that a African will win this year, after the death of Chinua Achebe. That and Africa (as a continent) is seriously lacking in representation.
Then there is the American conspiracy theorist, postmodern satirist – and in my opinion, overhyped, red eyed, psychedelic odd ball Thomas Pynchon, with his odds set at 20/1.
Milan Kundera, another perennial Nobel contender, comes in at 25/1. His greatest literary weight rests on “The Unbearable Lightness of Being.”
At 40/1 comes Dacia Maraini, an Italian feminist, novelist and playwright. She was also the companion to Alberto Moravia. With such high speculation, that a woman will win this year, many are looking at Dacia Maraini. It has been over a decade since Italy won a Nobel in Literature – and it went to a dud Dario Fo. I do not know a lot about Dacia Maraini. She’s not that well represented in English – and what is, is out of stock, usually.
Nuruddin Farah the Somalian writer is at 40/1 in his odds. This may change as we get closer to the Nobel time.
From there on out, big name novelists, compete against lesser known, on slots, from 50/1 odds all the way to 100/1 odds. Bob Dylan is also included. But his odds (should be) are slim, to non-existent.
There you have it Gentle Reader the Nobel Prize for Literature, speculaton by Ladbrokes. I am hoping for a bit of a surprise this year, with the award, much like Herta Müller was when she had won the prize.
Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader
Take Care
And As Always
Stay Well Read
*And Remember: Downloading Books Illegally is Thievery and Wrong.*
M. Mary
To view the full list, go to the following link:
http://sportsbeta.ladbrokes.com/2013-Nobel-Prize-in-Literature/Awards-N-1z0xxrmZ1z10gli/
