Leonard Nolens Dies Aged 78

Hello Gentle Reader,

During this festive season and the distorting sprint between Christmas and New Years, it is easy to miss the news or recent departing’s. As in the case of Leonard Nolens, the renowned Belgian Flemish poet and diarist, who for years was speculated as a contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature, and in the early years of the previous decade was considered a high contender. After what was considered a perceived leak, Nolens name was mentioned politely, but the speculative fervor had waned. Despite this, Leonard Nolens is one of the most influential Flemish poets, having received a variety of accolades throughout his career including the Dutch Literature Prize which was presented to him from then Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, who praised Leonard Nolens and his poetry, commenting on his ability to make Dutch sing again. As a poet, Nolens’ work is noted for its complexity and polyphonic nature, exploring the sense of self, reality and poetic creation, and how easy these two realms meld into each other, with poetry inflecting reality. Early poetry collections are regarded for their experimental leanings, difficulty and otherwise closed off nature. While in later collections with maturity, Nolens moved towards a poetic vision that was less baroque and ornate, instead embracing a sober, level and even toned style reminiscent of an approachable spoken word format. Despite this shift this poetic shift, Leonard Nolens is by all accounts still considered a renowned and all-encompassing poetry, which is rivaled by its uncompromising vision.

Rest in Peace Leonard Nolens.
 
Thank you For Reading Gentle Reader
Take Care
And As Always
Stay Well Read
 
M. Mary

– XLVII –

Don’t mistake the end of the road as the end of the world. Take a turn, take a detour, or forge a new path. It's not over.

Mats Malm Resigns as the Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy

Hello Gentle Reader,
 
Mats Malm has announced in the fading days and hours of December that as of June 2026, he will be stepping down as the Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy, and will be replaced by Ingrid Carlberg.
 
Mats Malm fell into the role of Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy when the academy was emerging from a deep-seated crisis, which ultimately saw the Nobel Prize in Literature postponed and awarded retroactively. Over the past seven years Malm’s secretaryship has been marked as wooden, when compared to the previous three Permanent Secretaries: Horace Engdahl, Peter Englund, and the late Sara Danius. Where the other three were noted for a formal announcement displaying their multilingual mastery, followed by an informal and good hearted off the cuff interview; Mats Malm, however, only announced the years laureate followed by their citation, afterwards turning the remaining announcement responsibilities to Anders Olsson, the current Chair of the Swedish Academy’s Nobel Committee. This has been a routine point of contention and criticism towards the current Nobel Prize in Literature announcement, as the current format has come across as dry and scripted, akin to a lecture or sermon, and not that of an exciting literary award announcement. Though, there are those who don’t see any bother with the current incarnation. These same people lack personality or any sense of occasion, truly, and are at best ignored when they feel the need to add nothing to the conversation.
 
In taking on the position of Permanent Secretary, Ingrid Carlberg will become the second woman to hold the position after Sara Danius.
 
Many thanks to Mats Malm for keeping the ship afloat and carrying out the responsibilities of Permanent Secretary with such meticulous execution, and a many great congratulations to Ingrid Carlberg in becoming the second woman to hold the position.
 
It will be interesting to see what changes will come to the Nobel Prize in Literature announcement now with this changing of the guard. That is if there are any.
 
Thank you For Reading Gentle Reader
Take Care
And As Always
Stay Well Read
 
M. Mary

Tom Stoppard Dies Aged 88

Hello Gentle Reader,

There are few English language playwrights capable of moving between literary preoccupation and popular appeal quite like Tom Stoppard. Though Alan Bennett and the late Harold Pinter and Edward Albee make close seconds; Tom Stoppard remains singular as one of the most original dramatists of the mid to late 20^th century and early 21^st century, who was able to move between both writing for stage and screen with remarkable ease. Finding a home in these two mediums, who despite their similarities, are ultimately vastly different, delineated not only on the grounds of production but the intimacy and limitations of scope, only showcases Stoppard’s remarkable ability to adapt to different modes of presentation, but maintaining his signature love of the English language, and ensuring the language of either performance would always be polished and top notched, regardless if it was being performed by treading on the boards or broadcasted from the screen. Tom Stoppard’s work delighted in juxtaposition. By soldering two unrelated or oppositional concepts together, Stoppard explored philosophical complexities and conundrums with wit and ease, that was both intelligent as it was entertaining. In one of his personal favourite plays, “Arcadia,” Stoppard explored 19^th century landscaping gardening and chaos theory, by contrasting two different time periods and two different sets of characters, and exploring the fundamental elements of order and chaos as unseen influential forces that continue ripple throughout time, further elevated by Stoppard’s ability to take complex concepts and spinning them into a narrative that continually flutters between tragedy and comedy in equal breaths. Still, Tom Stoppard’s big break and often regarded as his crowning achievement remains the classic “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” a marvelous absurdist tragicomedy with an existentialist bent (in other words very mid-century modern), they play takes two minor characters (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern) from “Hamlet,” the two courtly sycophants and agents of Claudius and presents their outcome from their own perspective, as their fates already codified in “Hamlet.” “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” remains a classic dramatic text of the mid to late 20^th century theatre. Stoppard’s credits in film are equally wide, including a credit to the Oscar winning screenplay “Shakespeare in Love,” “Empire of the Sun,” and “Brazil.” Beyond his credits for credits for stage and screen, Tom Stoppard was remembered fondly by friends, colleagues and admirers for his generosity in spirit, and continued interest and support of new talents.

Rest in Peace, Tom Stoppard, a true legend of the stage and screen.

Thank you For Reading Gentle Reader

Take Care
And As Always
Stay Well Read
 
M. Mary