Hungary's Krasznahorkai Wins 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature

18 HOURS AGO·UPDATED 18 HOURS AGO

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Above: László Krasznahorkai on July 26, 2021. Image copyright: Leo Neumayr/APA/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin

Narrative A

Krasznahorkai's Nobel Prize recognizes a master of Central European literature whose apocalyptic vision captures contemporary despair with unmatched artistic power. His breakthrough novel "Satantango" brilliantly portrayed post-communist decay, while recent works like "Herscht 07769" expose social anarchy in modern Germany. This award celebrates a visionary who reaffirms resilience and transforms terror into transcendent art.

The New York Times X

Narrative B

The Nobel Committee's choice of Krasznahorkai continues their recent pattern of selecting obscure writers over literary giants who shaped world literature. While past committees ignored towering figures like Tolstoy, Zola and Joyce, they now reward experimental novelists whose single-sentence, 400-page books appeal mainly to academic circles. In an age that craves diverse voices, this choice sidesteps vibrant global talent, entrenching literature's ivory tower in the obscure and oppressive.

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