Romanian-born German novelist, essayist and poet Herta Müller has been named winner of the 2009 Nobel prize for literature, praised by the judges for depicting the "landscape of the dispossessed" with "the concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose".Müller becomes only the 12th woman to have won the Nobel since it launched in 1901; in 2007 British novelist Doris Lessing won for her "scepticism, fire and visionary power ... [which] subjected a divided civilisation to scrutiny". In a statement this afternoon Müller said she was "delighted" by the award, and "still couldn't believe it".Worth 10m Swedish kronor (£893,000), the Nobel is awarded to "the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction", as described in Alfred Nobel's will of 1895.
Romanian-born German novelist, essayist and poet Herta Müller has been named winner of the 2009 Nobel prize for literature, praised by the judges for depicting the "landscape of the dispossessed" with "the concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose".
Müller becomes only the 12th woman to have won the Nobel since it launched in 1901; in 2007 British novelist Doris Lessing won for her "scepticism, fire and visionary power ... [which] subjected a divided civilisation to scrutiny". In a statement this afternoon Müller said she was "delighted" by the award, and "still couldn't believe it".
Worth 10m Swedish kronor (£893,000), the Nobel is awarded to "the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction", as described in Alfred Nobel's will of 1895.
Herta Müller's is a political voice that can also sing poetic. Her writing unites the great virtues of literature. Her work pleads for justice that transgresses all borders. It was correct and important to award her the Nobel Prize. Every year, the Nobel Prize for literature is a source of surprises. This year's shocker? The committee's choice isn't much of a surprise at all. From publishers to critics, most agreed that Herta Müller was a good candidate for the award. Indeed, thanks to her most recent novel "Atemschaukel," (the working title of the English translation is "Everything I Have I Carry with Me." An English excerpt can be read here) she is also on the shortlist to receive the 2009 German Book Prize, which will be awarded at the Frankfurt Book Fair next week. Indeed, it seems that this year, the annual debate about whether the winner should have won may be skipped entirely -- in favor of a focus on the recipient herself. Müller was born on Aug. 17, 1953 in Banat, a region of western Romania. It is a region that was home to a large number of Germans -- indeed Müller's native language was both German and the idiom of a minority.
Herta Müller's is a political voice that can also sing poetic. Her writing unites the great virtues of literature. Her work pleads for justice that transgresses all borders. It was correct and important to award her the Nobel Prize.
Every year, the Nobel Prize for literature is a source of surprises. This year's shocker? The committee's choice isn't much of a surprise at all. From publishers to critics, most agreed that Herta Müller was a good candidate for the award. Indeed, thanks to her most recent novel "Atemschaukel," (the working title of the English translation is "Everything I Have I Carry with Me." An English excerpt can be read here) she is also on the shortlist to receive the 2009 German Book Prize, which will be awarded at the Frankfurt Book Fair next week.
Indeed, it seems that this year, the annual debate about whether the winner should have won may be skipped entirely -- in favor of a focus on the recipient herself. Müller was born on Aug. 17, 1953 in Banat, a region of western Romania. It is a region that was home to a large number of Germans -- indeed Müller's native language was both German and the idiom of a minority.
