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The coveted Nobel Prize in Literature for this year has been bestowed upon the Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai, as declared by the Swedish Academy.

The Jury praised the 71-year-old's "compelling and visionary oeuvre that, within cataclysmic terror, confirms the strength of the arts."

A Legacy of Apocalyptic Writing

Krasznahorkai is known for his dark, pensive novels, which have earned several awards, for instance the recent National Book Award for international writing and the 2015 Man Booker International Prize.

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

Debut Novel

Originating in the Hungarian town of Gyula in 1954, Krasznahorkai first made his mark with his 1985 initial work Satantango, a grim and hypnotic depiction of a disintegrating village society.

The work would eventually earn the Man Booker International Prize award in translation nearly three decades later, in 2013.

An Unconventional Literary Style

Often described as avant-garde, Krasznahorkai is famous for his lengthy, intricate phrases (the dozen sections of Satantango each comprise a one paragraph), dystopian and melancholic themes, and the kind of persistent force that has led reviewers to compare him to Gogol, Melville and Kafka.

Satantango was famously adapted into a extended film by cinematic artist Béla Tarr, with whom Krasznahorkai has had a lengthy creative partnership.

"Krasznahorkai is a significant writer of epic tales in the Central European heritage that traces back to Kafka to Bernhard, and is defined by absurdism and grotesque excess," stated the Nobel chair, leader of the Nobel committee.

He portrayed Krasznahorkai’s style as having "developed towards … flowing language with extended, meandering phrases lacking periods that has become his trademark."

Literary Praise

Susan Sontag has described the author as "today's Hungarian master of end-times," while the writer W.G. Sebald applauded the wide appeal of his outlook.

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

Global Influences

Krasznahorkai’s career has been molded by exploration as much as by literature. He first left socialist the country in 1987, staying a twelve months in the city for a fellowship, and later found inspiration from Asia – notably China and Mongolia – for novels such as a specific work, and another novel.

While developing this novel, he explored across the continent and stayed in Ginsberg's New York home, describing the legendary poet's assistance as vital to completing the work.

Krasznahorkai on His Work

Inquired how he would characterize his writing in an discussion, Krasznahorkai said: "Characters; then from these characters, vocabulary; then from these words, some concise lines; then more sentences that are more extended, and in the primary very long phrases, for the span of 35 years. Elegance in writing. Enjoyment in darkness."

On audiences finding his books for the first time, he noted: "For any individuals who have not yet read my books, I would not suggest a particular book to explore to them; instead, I’d advise them to go out, settle in a place, possibly by the edge of a stream, with nothing to do, nothing to think about, just remaining in quiet like stones. They will sooner or later meet an individual who has encountered my books."

Literature Prize History

Before the announcement, bookmakers had pegged the top contenders for this year’s honor as the Chinese writer, an avant garde Chinese writer, and Krasznahorkai.

The Nobel Honor in Literary Arts has been given on 117 prior instances since 1901. Recent recipients are Annie Ernaux, Dylan, Gurnah, Louise Glück, Handke and Tokarczuk. Last year’s recipient was the South Korean writer, the South Korean writer renowned for her acclaimed novel.

Krasznahorkai will formally accept the award and certificate in a function in the month of December in Stockholm.

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