Coetzee Wins Nobel in Literature
Comments: 5
J. M. Coetzee has won the 2003 Nobel Prize in literature. From the Academy’s press release:
His intellectual honesty erodes all basis of consolation and distances itself from the tawdry drama of remorse and confession.
I’m a bit embarrassed to say I haven’t read a single thing by him, despite the fact that he was the first two-time Booker Prize winner (Peter Carey is the only other writer to have won twice).
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Posted to Books • 2003.10.02 (Thu) • 20:44
Comments
Posted by Kristen 2003.10.02, 21:20
A Booker Prize winner gets the Nobel, too? Considering my disdain for the Nobel novelists and my delight with Booker winners, I’m surprised they could possibly intersect. (How’s that for egotistical?)
Posted by James 2003.10.02, 23:04
He’s fantastic. He lives in Adelaide, South Australia now.
Incidently, Peter Careys last book was set in Adelaide.
Our Writers Festival is starting to pay off I think.
Posted by qB 2003.10.03, 05:09
I thought the Life and Times of Michael K was a profound and beautiful book, and Waiting for the Barbarians similarly excellent. But of his first published novellas, I remember finding The Vietnam Project deeply disturbing and distasteful in a way that alienated me utterly from the writer. Can’t remember why though. Perhaps time to go back and re-read.
Posted by Dave G 2003.10.03, 13:54
Coetzee’s Youth would have to be my favourite read this year. Highly recommended.
Posted by Cookie 2006.01.10, 14:22
The Life & Times of Michael K is my favourite book - read it and you will never think about pumpkin in the same way again.
Jeremy, have you read any Andrew McGahan books? He’s a Melbourne based writer and the author of 1998, Praise, Last Drinks and The White Earth - excellent and very Australian.
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