How to win a Nobel Prize in Literature: A Brief History

[@jeffreylewis8019]

The Indonesian Pramoedya Ananta Toer was also horribly overlooked by the Nobel Committee. His Buru Quartet is fantastic, and his short stories are poignant and distinctive. He endured great tragedy and political opposition during his life.

[@adamilham2948]

You are right. He should had won the price

[@alexsocop]

I'm glad that I found your channel, it's fantastic. I'm from Guatemala and besides "The president" I also suggest reading "Hombres de maíz", "Mulata de tal" and "Weekend en Guatemala" those are superb novels from Miguel Ángel Asturias.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thank you!

[@donaldkelly3983]

They gave the prize to Abdulrazak Gurnah, a writer I've never heard of. This is nothing new, I'm playing catch up with contemporary non European writers. One of the reasons I like this channel. The Novel Literature prize has been, from it's start, a Good Citizenship Award that only coincidentally chooses a writer of artistic worth. It's why they gave the prize to Alexander Solzhenitsyn and not Vladimir Nabokov. Solzhenitsyn was a great man, Nabokov was a great writer.

[@Fiction_Beast]

I just uploaded a video on the new Nobel laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah. Give it a watch and see if he deserve it or not.

[@Fiction_Beast]

I do agree the Nobel prize has a progressive (political) agenda but not as bad giving the peace prize to Obama. I still like it because it puts literature on the same pedestal as hard sciences like physics and chemistry. Unfortunately most universities are reducing their budget for literature courses these days.

[@ibrahimchaiben5016]

gave it to Solzhenitsyn cause he was writing against the Soviet and communism. He wasn't necessarily a good person. He just fit their agenda at the time.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Now that the Nobel committee can see my predictions, they might change their mind and give the prize to someone else. It's me here covering my ar**Se. Who do you think will win this thursday? Would love to hear from you.

[@yonathanasefaw9001]

I hope Murakami wins, I'll be rooting for him!

[@Fiction_Beast]

I think the Swedish Acemdy might think Murakami is too popular and slightly low-brow. they always pick highbrow authors. fingers crossed through.

[@quentin9462]

@@Fiction_Beast q

[@evaphillips2102]

@@Fiction_Beast too popular?

[@sankarkrishnan407]

An ordinary English/French writer won the nobel. An Extra ordinary Asian/South American won the nobel.

[@Fiction_Beast]

I would also put Yu Hua on the short list. An Amazing Chinese novelist.

[@radovan3jovicic]

About 2:45 when you say that first writer you know is Kipling, you skipped Sienkiewicz. I strongly recommend him, all of his work but especially novel "Quo Vadis". He is probably one of the greatest writers ever, in the same rank as Proust, Dostoyevski, Victor Hugo or Tomas Man. (Btw, you are doing great work, I love it)

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thank you for the recommendation. I just looked quickly on Wiki. His writing sounds similar to Pan Tadeusz, which i reviewed on this channel, in terms of subject matter being historical events. Am I wrong?

[@radovan3jovicic]

@@Fiction_Beast I am sorry for seeing your reply so late. I just watched your video on "Pan Tadeusz", and (what a coincidence) just finished with reading of "The Knights of the Cross", another masterpiece by Sienkiewicz. Yes, genre is similar, Sienkiewicz is very much into national history and he is a very good historian, but in my opinion, his works are much more suspenseful. He has a lot of very good characters who are so well-written that they are novel within the novel (like Victor Hugo's characters). And one more recommendation is for Saramago. "Blindness" is very dark novel, but only one of that sort. He is enormously funny writer. Try " Baltasar and Blimunda" or "The Double", that's more representative for who he really is as a writer, altough "Blindness" is the most successful one. I read 12 of his novels and he is probably the most original modern writer (and for me the greatest one). And keep on this awesome work!

[@johnnynoitel1897]

Hey man. Great video as always! I was wondering, could you possibly do a video on Croatian literature maybe? I think that would be interesting if you would like to look into it...

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thank you! I’ll definitely discuss Croatian lit or a novel in the future. It’s a slow journey but will get there :)

[@johnmanole4779]

It's so strange how with some of these videos of yours you hit the Jackpot while with some of them you the hit bottom.

[@sirisaksirisak6981]

Ernest Hemingway is in the list?

[@afanasymarinov2236]

There was a series of popular but utterly untalented wannabe writers in the 20th century who rightfully did not receive the Nobel prize. Among them: Leo Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov, Andrey Bely, James Joyce, Marcel Proust, Franz Kafka, Vladimir Nabokov, and fellow Swede August Strindberg.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Lol, yep!

[@richardwestwood8212]

That's the smartest comment I've ever heard. 👍👍👍👍

[@furqan188]

Add James Baldwin to it too.

[@mazharchodary9703]

U nicely pointed out I agree with you

[@andreadaleyutronebel5894]

Churchill won for his histories/memoirs.

[@snowylim6818]

Nobel literature winner usually students of university,but personally only went to secondary school, even I have new idea of writing articles, I just don't have a chance

[@ManzuraDosnazarova]

At least try my dear ❤❤❤

[@winwinwinwin106]

Anne Carson??! Btw Atwood winning it would be great too!🤞

[@Fiction_Beast]

Anne Carson is a good shout. Which Atwood novel do you recommend?

[@winwinwinwin106]

@@Fiction_Beast For me, personally, greatness of Atwood lies in her subtle approach to the gender question in all her works including her poetry which is so brilliantly composed touching the very bones of the problem and situation which she aims to highlight! Also no matter what we think,if she wins it would most likely be for her handmaid's tale series imo!

[@excellenceenglishclassesbh1210]

❤❤❤

[@jeffreylewis8019]

It's too bad "the Prize" has long been political. Borges was one of the most profound writers.

[@Saber23]

True they’ve awarded the peace prize to numerous US presidents who are blatant war criminals

[@jeffreylewis8019]

@@Saber23 Well, this is about the literature prize, not the peace prize. But I'll play along. Four US presidents (TR, Wilson, Carter, Obama) have been awarded the peace prize. So, you wrote "numerous ... blatant war criminals". Please expound--and keep mind that "numerous" means that you think at least two and perhaps all four of them are "blatant war criminals."

[@Saber23]

@@jeffreylewis8019 yes they’re ALL war criminals bruh a child could understand that and it doesn’t matter all the awards are issued in the same country by the same committees so the same logic is going to apply to all the rewards involving any kind of social engagements and remember it’s not just presidents numerous people who have SUPPORTED war crimes have been given the award

[@jeffreylewis8019]

@@Saber23 First, the peace prize is Norwegian while the others are Swedish, so you are already off the rails with the facts. So, in which wars were each of these presidents criminals? Jimmy Carter? For real? Jimmy Carter? Terrible president, but didn't start any wars, friend. Only screwed up trying to save hostages in Iran. Obama? Because he ordered the mission that killed Bin Laden? Or didn't bring home the troops from a war that Bush (arguably an actual war criminal in Iraq) started. TR? Awarded prize for helping negotiate peace b/tw Russia and Japan. Or is he evil because he fought in the Spanish-American War? Or for being mean to Native Americans (which I suspect is your take)? Wilson? Only ENDED WWI with US military and resources sent to Western Europe, and then established the League of Nations. (Sure, he's "problematic" on race, but that doesn't make him a war criminal; in fact, you may not have a country to bitch about if WWI (and II) didn't end the way they did; but I expect that kind of radical ingratitude and reductive thinking from someone with an anime avatar.)

[@Saber23]

@@jeffreylewis8019 lol Obama dropped more bombs than any other president before him bruh that’s like saying Hitler was a good man because he lowered crime rates in Germany

[@snowylim6818]

I can't find a Nobel products books in any bookstore of my country in 2022

[@Sachie465]

I think giving that huge amount of money to a writer is useless, because writing is a highly individual art unlike science, where successors can utilise the money for the development of his/her projects posthumously.

[@Fiction_Beast]

They should give that money to me so I can make your content on literature. Actually I might take the money and disappear on some tropical islands 😂

[@blomobloom9639]

You are crazy. Writers do need money to sustain their lives

[@AnnaMaledonPictureBookAuthor]

Wislawa Szymborska who won in 1996 for poetry stipulated in her will to start a foundation to help other poets and this is what the foundation has been doing since her death in 2012. They award best poetry collection in a given year, best translation, you can stay in her flat to write and they also give grants to literary people in need. It is a beautiful legacy.

[@Salad507]

My prediction is Justo Arroyo, from Panama🇵🇦.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Awesome. Tell me more about him.

[@Salad507]

@@Fiction_Beast well, he's Panama's best living author, and the one with the longest and most prestigious trayectory. He has received numerous awards from other nations, and was also a diplomat. His style has been compared to the likes of authors such as Alejo Carpentier. His works belong to the genres of historical fiction and magic realism.

[@Salad507]

@@Fiction_Beast I think he's a great candidate because he would be Panama's first Nobel Prize recipient, the first Latinamerican to win it since Llosa in 2010, and the first Central American since Asturias in 1967.

[@Fiction_Beast]

@@Salad507 I dont think his works are translated to English. Is he similar to other big names in South America? the likes of Llosa or Marquez or Borges?

[@Fiction_Beast]

Sorry I replied before reading this comment. Sounds like he’s a great candidate. What’s your favorite of his novels?

[@Fiction_Beast]

10 Nobel Prize Winners' works I discussed in 10 videos: kzbin.info/aero/PLyKyeehuJVIHDp9gd38QjW8AzJZrK7yhh

[@msumisu]

The only thing going for me is that I'm alive. I have a chance! 😅

[@Fiction_Beast]

the next step is to write something great!

[@tarekzeitoune2911]

Egyptian novel written Naguib Mahfouz won Nobel Prize

[@muyiwailegbusi2448]

You didn't mention the only Nigerian and first Sub -Sahara African winner Wole Soyinka. That's probably an oversight

[@Myrashenka]

I am legitimately wondering why you skipped the first woman. All you said was she is Swedish. You did not touch her on one bit

[@aondohembanege9551]

And you skipped Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka the 1st Literature Nobel prize winner from Nigeria (1986) and the 2nd African as at then. You can read about him. Again, counting countries that winners came from, you skipped Nigeria. A lot of inaccuracies in this video actually.

[@Fiction_Beast]

You noticed I only mentioned the names I was familiar with. I skipped more than i actually talked about.

[@aondohembanege9551]

@@Fiction_Beast oh okay, I remember you mentioned their books that you read. One last thing I felt was captured ambiguously is the Prize winner by name Naguib Mahfouz (an Egyptian) whom you described as the first Arab winner of the prize, actually I saw Wikipedia described him in a likewise phrase. However, as far as I can remember, anything issue such as a disease "claimed" to have been discovered in Egypt or any part of North Africa is always reported as "discovered or originated from Africa" and not the Arab world, but surprisingly "the Arab world is used to describe Naguib Mahfouz, what artificial paradox! The last scenario shared is to emphasize a paradox often used by different writers and not to criticize you, please. Thanks for the sharing about Nobel prize winners.

[@aondohembanege9551]

BTW, Prof Wole Soyinka was the first African Nobel prize winner in Literature not 2nd, sorry the earlier misinformation.

[@mygirlfriendismarcaline945]

They should give the Nobel to Babytron

[@DrVempalliGangadhar]

'Said very good things. Thank you. But there are a few things to say to you. Most countries have regional languages. Writers in those languages ​​are working tirelessly. Why do not you care about their efforts. Translating works into regional languages ​​is financially difficult for writers. Loss. In fact your help is definitely needed for such people. But you do not realize it. You should recognize the literature of backward regional languages. Or set up 'another special award' for the same. Only then is the true validity of the Noble ideas. Take India for example. There are many regional languages ​​like Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam ... Great literature is emerging. In fact, after Rabindranath Tagore, another ten awards should really come to India. You do not recognize regional languages ​​.It's very painful. In fact, Telugu is a regional language in India. As a writer in that language I have written over a hundred stories. 20 books arrived. You can check my profile on Wikipedia. I worked very hard. In fact, if I had been born in Europe, I would have been nominated for the Nobel Literature Prize.''-Print out my opinion on the wall of the Noble office room. The world knows the truth. Thank you.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thanks for the thoughtful comment.

[@daroitm9616]

Man....you read a lot of books...please how do you read so fast?

[@Fiction_Beast]

Great question, I will make a video in the future answering this question. Stay tuned.

[@daroitm9616]

@@Fiction_Beast Thanks...My notification is on.

[@mazharchodary9703]

Too much politics have entered in noble prize and favorism too

[@hayatkaidi7889]

But why Nobel prize isn't given in mathematics?? I

[@Fiction_Beast]

Good point

[@MohammadShehzad]

lousy vlog. You have been talking about your choice instead of providing any substantial information on the subject. If you had to tell us the criteria of getting Nobel you could have done that in 5 seconds.

[@debashishmukerji]

There were many winners you glossed over, not mentioning them at all, including the English writer V, S. Naipaul (2001). I wonder why - is it because you knew nothing about their work?

[@Fiction_Beast]

Yes I wasn’t familiar with their works so couldn’t really comment.

[@riverIl0719]

*Economics is not really “Nobel prize”.*

[@Fiction_Beast]

i studied at a university where they display 18 nobel prize winners and most of them in economics. Don't ruin it man! :)

[@riverIl0719]

@@Fiction_Beast *Hahah, I didn’t meant THAT. I mean the fact that economics is sponsored by Swedish National Bank and wasn’t in Nobel’s will, so, technically it isn’t a Nobel prize.*

[@Fiction_Beast]

Hey no worries. Was only kidding. If I win I’ll def count it.

[@riverIl0719]

@@Fiction_Beast *I bet you will one day, genuinely.*

[@Fiction_Beast]

I’m waiting for a Nobel prize for KZbin someday. Lol

[@eduardmanecuta5350]

More then ethnicity and country, is what political views you have. And now with modern feminist and other political views that are also pushed in other media forms some Nobel prize winners make a lot of sense.

[@g-9723]

Your point? We1rd....

[@eduardmanecuta5350]

@@g-9723 My point is very clear. You saying "wired" don't diminish my point in any way but it shows your character.