Nobel Literature Prize 2023: past winners as Can Xue in running for top spot

This week, the renowned Nobel Prize for Literature for 2023 will be awarded, annually recognising exceptional literary contributions. Although the winner’s reveal is set for October 5th, frontrunners like avant-garde Chinese author Can Xue have emerged. There are some familiar faces alongside the experimental writer, including stalwarts Margaret Atwood, Haruki Murakami, and Salman Rushdie.

Who will win Nobel Prize Literature 2023?

Bookmakers have given Can Xue 8/1 odds of winning the top gong for literature, with Murakami trailing closely at 12/1. Can Xue, whose real name is Deng Xiaohua, has previously been in the longlist for her international Booker prize novel “Love in the New Millennium,” translated by Annelise Finegan Wasmoen.

Can Xue’s creative artistry delves into experimental themes encompassing identity, memory, and reality. Her tales are marked by fragmented narratives, surreal imagery, and intricate characters. Critics have likened her to literary luminaries like Franz Kafka, Jorge Luis Borges, and Virginia Woolf.

With an extensive bibliography comprising short stories, novellas, and novels, her work enjoys translation into over 20 languages. She boasts a collection of prestigious accolades, including the Franz Kafka Prize and the Prix Femina Étranger, solidifying her status as a pivotal and influential figure among her contemporaries in Chinese literature.

Who are the past Nobel Literature Prize winners?

The prize is awarded by the Swedish Academy and has been given out since 1901. It is one of the six Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite. Here are some past winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature:

• 2022. “The Years” by Annie Ernaux (France). French author Annie Ernaux received the award for her fearless and precise exploration of personal memory’s origins, disconnections, and societal constraints.
• 2021. “Paradise” by Abdulrazak Gurnah (Tanzania/UK). A novel exploring the impact of colonialism on Zanzibar and the lives of its characters through historical upheaval.
• 2020. “The Wild Iris” by Louise Glück (United States). “The Wild Iris” is a poetry collection that explores themes of nature, change, and human emotions through the voices of flowers.
• 2019. “A Sorrow Beyond Dreams” by Peter Handke (Austria). “A Sorrow Beyond Dreams” delves into personal tragedy and introspection.

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• 2018. “Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead” by Olga Tokarczuk (Poland). A philosophical thriller featuring an eccentric woman who investigates mysterious deaths in her rural Polish village.
• 2017. “Klara and The Sun” by Kazuo Ishiguro (United Kingdom). A novel narrated by an Artificial Friend exploring themes of love, consciousness, and the future of AI.
• 2016. “The Lyrics” by Bob Dylan (United States). A comprehensive collection of Bob Dylan’s song lyrics, offering insight into his iconic music and poetic talent.
• 2015. “Secondhand Time” by Svetlana Alexievich (Belarus). An oral history that captures the voices of ordinary people experiencing the collapse of the Soviet Union and its aftermath.
• 2014. “Missing Person” by Patrick Modiano (France). French novelist’s “Missing Person” delves into memory, identity, and post-war Paris.
• 2013. “Dear Life” by Alice Munro (Canada). The short story writer’s “Dear Life” explores ordinary lives and profound moments.

These are just a few examples, and there have been many other notable laureates throughout the years, representing a diverse range of literary styles and genres. The Nobel Prize for Literature aims to recognise and celebrate exceptional contributions to world literature.

Since its inception, 115 Nobel Prize in Literature laureates exist. If Xue triumphs, she’ll be the 18th woman and second Chinese resident, after Mo Yan in 2012. French citizen Gao Xingjian, born in China, earned the award in 2000.

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