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The coveted Nobel Prize in Literature for 2025 has been granted to the Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai, as revealed by the committee.

The Academy praised the 71-year-old's "powerful and prophetic body of work that, in the midst of end-times fear, reasserts the strength of art."

A Renowned Path of Dystopian Fiction

Krasznahorkai is celebrated for his dark, pensive works, which have garnered many accolades, such as the recent National Book Award for translated literature and the prestigious Man Booker International Prize.

Several of his works, among them his novels his debut and The Melancholy of Resistance, have been adapted into cinematic works.

Debut Novel

Born in a Hungarian locale in 1954, Krasznahorkai first rose to prominence with his 1985 first book his seminal novel, a bleak and mesmerising representation of a failing rural community.

The novel would later secure the Man Booker International Prize recognition in the English language decades after, in 2013.

A Unique Writing Approach

Frequently labeled as postmodern, Krasznahorkai is famous for his extended, meandering prose (the dozen sections of the book each comprise a single paragraph), bleak and somber themes, and the kind of persistent intensity that has led critics to compare him to Kafka, Melville, and Gogol.

Satantango was notably transformed into a extended film by cinematic artist Béla Tarr, with whom Krasznahorkai has had a lengthy working relationship.

"Krasznahorkai is a remarkable writer of epic tales in the European heritage that traces back to Kafka to Bernhard, and is defined by absurdism and grotesque excess," commented Anders Olsson, chair of the Nobel jury.

He portrayed Krasznahorkai’s writing as having "evolved into … continuous structure with lengthy, intricate sentences without full stops that has become his signature."

Critical Acclaim

The critic Susan Sontag has called the author as "the modern from Hungary expert of end-times," while Sebald praised the broad relevance of his vision.

Just a small number of Krasznahorkai’s books have been translated into English. The critic Wood once noted that his books "are shared like precious items."

International Inspiration

Krasznahorkai’s literary path has been shaped by travel as much as by language. He first departed from the communist his homeland in 1987, spending a period in the city for a scholarship, and later drew inspiration from east Asia – particularly Mongolia and China – for novels such as a specific work, and his book on China.

While working on War and War, he travelled widely across Europe and resided temporarily in Allen Ginsberg’s New York residence, noting the renowned writer's assistance as vital to completing the novel.

Krasznahorkai on His Work

Asked how he would explain his oeuvre in an conversation, Krasznahorkai responded: "Characters; then from these characters, words; then from these words, some brief phrases; then additional phrases that are more extended, and in the chief exceptionally extended paragraphs, for the duration of three and a half decades. Beauty in prose. Enjoyment in despair."

On readers discovering his books for the initial encounter, he noted: "For any people who haven’t read my books, I couldn’t recommend anything to explore to them; instead, I’d suggest them to step out, sit down somewhere, maybe by the side of a brook, with nothing to do, a clear mind, just remaining in silence like rocks. They will sooner or later come across an individual who has encountered my works."

Nobel Prize Context

Ahead of the reveal, bookmakers had pegged the favourites for this annual honor as Can Xue, an avant garde from China writer, and Krasznahorkai.

The Nobel Prize in Literature has been given on over a hundred prior instances since 1901. Current laureates have included the French author, Bob Dylan, the Tanzanian-born writer, the poet, Peter Handke and Tokarczuk. Last year’s honoree was Han Kang, the from South Korea writer best known for The Vegetarian.

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

Updates to come