What's special about the writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature 2023

Writer Jon Fosse

Fosse, 64, was born on the west coast of Norway. His body of work includes some 40 plays, along with numerous novels, poems, essays, children's books and translations. He studied comparative literature at the University of Bergen, and then embarked on a literary career. His first novel, Raudt, svart ( Red, Black ), was published in 1983. His first play, Og aldri skal vi skiljast ( And We Will Never Part ), was performed and published in 1994. In addition to novels, Fosse wrote short stories, poems, children's books, essays and plays. His works have been translated into more than 40 languages, and his plays have had more than 1,000 editions. He also plays music and composes lyrics for musicals.

In 2003, Fosse was awarded the French Presidential Order of Merit. He was ranked 83rd in the Daily Telegraph's list of 100 living geniuses. In 2011, Fosse was awarded the Grotten House, an honorary residence owned by the Norwegian state and located on the grounds of the Royal Palace in central Oslo. This was an honor bestowed by the King of Norway in recognition of his contributions to Norwegian arts and culture. In 2015, Fosse was awarded the Nordic Council Prize for Literature for his trilogy Andvake (Wakefulness), Olavs draumar (Olav's Dreams) and Kveldsvævd (Weary).

In April 2022, Fosse's novel A New Name: Septology VI-VII was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. It was also a finalist for the 2023 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction. In addition to writing fiction, Fosse translates works by other Norwegian authors. His latest book, Septology , is a semi-autobiographical masterpiece about a man who meets an alternate version of himself that spans 1,250 pages without a single punctuation mark. Part Three of the book has been shortlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize.

Fosse said he was “overwhelmed and a little scared” when he heard he had won the Nobel Prize for Literature. “I see this as a prize for literature, with literature as its primary goal, without any other considerations,” he said. Fosse writes in Nynorsk, the least common of Norway’s two official languages. The 64-year-old said he saw the Nobel as recognition for Nynorsk and the movement to promote the language. Known as “New Norwegian” and spoken by only about 10% of the country’s population, the version of the language Fosse used developed in the 19th century, drawing on rural dialects as its foundation.

“Jon Fosse’s major literary works span a wide range of genres, including around 40 plays and numerous novels, poetry collections, essays, children’s books and translations. He combines the language and nature of his Norwegian background with modernist artistic techniques,” said Anders Olsson, chairman of the Nobel Committee for Literature.

Thai An

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