Nordic Council Literature Prize

Nordic Council Literature Prize
Awarded for"a work of imaginative literature written in one of the Nordic languages"
DateAnnual, winner announced in the spring
CountryNordic countries
Presented byNordic Council
Reward(s)DKK 350,000
First awarded1962

The Nordic Council Literature Prize is awarded for a work of literature written in one of the languages of the Nordic countries, that meets "high literary and artistic standards".[1] Established in 1962, the prize is awarded every year, and is worth 350,000 Danish kroner (2008).[1] Eligible works are typically novels, plays, collections of poetry, short stories or essays, or other works that were published for the first time during the last four years, or in the case of works written in Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish, within the last two years. The prize is one of the most prestigious awards that Nordic authors can win.

The winner is chosen by an adjudication committee appointed by the Nordic Council. The committee consists of ten members, two each from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The committee members are generally experts in their own country's literature, as well as their neighbouring countries.[1] In addition to the regular members, additional members may be added to the committee if works are nominated from Åland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland or the Sami language area. Apart from the monetary award, the intent of the prize is also to "increase interest in the literature of neighbouring countries as well in Nordic cultural fellowship".[1]

Committee members as of 2019

As of 2019 the jury consists of the following proper elected members[2]

Additionally the jury includes deputy members, appointed members and ex officio members.

List of winners

See also: List of Nordic Council's Literature Prize winners and nominees
Eyvind Johnson, 1962
William Heinesen, 1965
Kjartan Fløgstad, 1978
Einar Már Guðmundsson, 1995
Sofi Oksanen, 2010

The following is a complete list of recipients of the Nordic Council Literature Prize:[3]

Year English title Original title Author Country Original Language Ref
1962 The Days of His Grace Hans nådes tid Eyvind Johnson Sweden Swedish
1963 Under the North Star 3: Reconciliation Täällä Pohjantähden alla 3 Väinö Linna Finland Finnish
1964 The Ice Palace Is-slottet Tarjei Vesaas Norway Norwegian
1965 From Hell to Paradise Från Helvetet till Paradiset Olof Lagercrantz Sweden Swedish
The Good Hope Det gode Håb William Heinesen Faroe Islands Danish
1966 Diwan on the Prince of Emgion Dīwān över Fursten av Emgión Gunnar Ekelöf Sweden Swedish
1967 Nye noveller Nye noveller Johan Borgen Norway Norwegian
1968 Flight of the Eagle Ingenjör Andrées luftfärd Per Olof Sundman Sweden Swedish
1969 The Legionnaires Legionärerna Per Olov Enquist Sweden Swedish
1970 Anna, I, Anna Anna, jeg, Anna Klaus Rifbjerg Denmark Danish
1971 Coast of Slaves, Ships of Slaves and Islands of Slaves Slavernes kyst, Slavernes skibe and Slavernes øer Thorkild Hansen Denmark Danish
1972 Sju ord på tunnelbanan Sju ord på tunnelbanan Karl Vennberg Sweden Swedish
1973 Kersantin poika Kersantin poika Veijo Meri Finland Finnish
1974 Uden mål – og med Uden mål – og med Villy Sørensen Denmark Danish
1975 Siinä näkijä missä tekijä Siinä näkijä missä tekijä Hannu Salama Finland Finnish
1976 Að laufferjum and Að brunnum Að laufferjum and Að brunnum Ólafur Jóhann Sigurðsson Iceland Icelandic
1977 I de mörka rummen, i de ljusa I de mörka rummen, i de ljusa Bo Carpelan Finland Swedish
1978 Dalen Portland Dalen Portland Kjartan Fløgstad Norway Norwegian
1979 Pubertet Pubertet Ivar Lo-Johansson Sweden Swedish
1980 Vredens barn Vredens barn Sara Lidman Sweden Swedish
1981 Hauströkkrið yfir mér Hauströkkrið yfir mér Snorri Hjartarson Iceland Icelandic
1982 Samuels bok Samuels bok Sven Delblanc Sweden Swedish
1983 Om fjorten dage Om fjorten dage Peter Seeberg Denmark Danish
1984 The Christmas Oratorio Juloratoriet Göran Tunström Sweden Swedish
1985 A Day in Ostrobothnia Pohjanmaa Antti Tuuri Finland Finnish
1986 Líkasum Líkasum Rói Patursson Faroe Islands Faroese
1987 Hudløs himmel Hudløs himmel Herbjørg Wassmo Norway Norwegian
1988 Justice Undone Grámosinn glóir Thor Vilhjálmsson Iceland Icelandic
1989 Roman 1987 Roman 1987 Dag Solstad Norway Norwegian
1990 For the Living and the Dead För levande och döda Tomas Tranströmer Sweden Swedish
1991 The Sun, My Father Beaivi, áhčážan Nils-Aslak Valkeapää Sápmi / Finland Northern Sámi
1992 Night Watch Meðan nóttin líður Fríða Á. Sigurðardóttir Iceland Icelandic
1993 Byen og verden Byen og verden Peer Hultberg Denmark Danish
1994 Blackwater Händelser vid vatten Kerstin Ekman Sweden Swedish
1995 Angels of the Universe Englar alheimsins Einar Már Guðmundsson Iceland Icelandic
1996 Hva skal vi gjøre i dag og andre noveller Hva skal vi gjøre i dag og andre noveller Øystein Lønn Norway Norwegian
1997 Bang. En roman om Herman Bang Bang. En roman om Herman Bang Dorrit Willumsen Denmark Danish
1998 After Having Spent a Night Among Horses Efter att ha tillbringat en natt bland hästar Tua Forsström Finland Swedish
1999 Queen's Gate Dronningeporten Pia Tafdrup Denmark Danish
2000 Drømmebroer Drømmebroer Henrik Nordbrandt Denmark Danish
2001 The Discoverer Oppdageren Jan Kjærstad Norway Norwegian
2002 The Half Brother Halvbroren Lars Saabye Christensen Norway Norwegian
2003 Revbensstäderna Revbensstäderna Eva Ström Sweden Swedish
2004 Juoksuhaudantie Juoksuhaudantie Kari Hotakainen Finland Finnish
2005 The Blue Fox Skugga-Baldur Sjón Iceland Icelandic
2006 The Ocean Oceanen Göran Sonnevi Sweden Swedish
2007 Drömfakulteten Drömfakulteten Sara Stridsberg Sweden Swedish
2008 Baboon Bavian Naja Marie Aidt Denmark Danish
2009 I Curse the River of Time Jeg forbanner tidens elv Per Petterson Norway Norwegian
2010 Purge Puhdistus Sofi Oksanen Finland Finnish
2011 Between the Trees Milli trjánna Gyrðir Elíasson Iceland Icelandic
2012 Days in the History of Silence Dager i stillhetens historie Merethe Lindstrøm Norway Norwegian
2013 The Prophets of Eternal Fjord Profeterne fra Evighedsfjorden Kim Leine Denmark Danish [4]
2014 Mirage 38 Hägring 38 Kjell Westö Finland Swedish [5]
2015 Andvake, Olavs draumar and Kveldsvævd Andvake, Olavs draumar and Kveldsvævd Jon Fosse Norway Norwegian [6]
2016 Songs and Formulae Sånger och formler Katarina Frostenson Sweden Swedish [7]
2017 Memories of Love Erindring om kærligheden Kirsten Thorup Denmark Danish [8]
2018 Hotel Silence Ör Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir Iceland Icelandic [9]
2019 After the Sun Efter Solen Jonas Eika Denmark Danish [10]
2020 Who killed Bambi? Vem dödade bambi? Monika Fagerholm Finland Swedish [11]
2021 Flower Valley Naasuliardarpi Niviaq Korneliussen Greenland Greenlandic [12]
2022 On the Calculation of Volume I, II and III Om udregning af rumfang I, II and III Solvej Balle Denmark Danish [13]
2023 Remember Us to Life Ihågkom oss till liv Joanna Rubin Dranger Sweden Swedish [14]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "About the Literature Prize". norden.org. Nordic Council. Archived from the original on 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2011-11-13.
  2. ^ "Bedømmelseskomitéen for Nordisk Råds Litteraturpris - Nordisk samarbeid". www.norden.org.
  3. ^ "The winners — Nordic Council Literature Prize". norden.org. Nordic Council. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Dansker får Nordisk Råds Litteraturpris". politiken.dk. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  5. ^ "Nordisk Råds litteraturpris — Nordisk samarbejde". www.norden.org. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  6. ^ NRK. "Fosse vant Nordisk råds litteraturpris". nrk.no. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  7. ^ "Winner of the Nordic Council Literature Prize 2016 — Nordic cooperation". 27 December 2016. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  8. ^ "Overvældet Kirsten Thorup takker for nordisk litteraturpris". DR. Ritzau. 1 November 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  9. ^ "The Nordic Council Literature Prize 2018 goes to Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir". norden.org. 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  10. ^ "Jonas Eika has won the 2019 Nordic Council Literature Prize | Nordic cooperation". www.norden.org.
  11. ^ "Monika Fagerholm wins the 2020 Nordic Council Literature Prize | Nordic cooperation". www.norden.org.
  12. ^ "Niviaq Korneliussen wins the 2021 Nordic Council Literature Prize". www.norden.org.
  13. ^ "The 2022 Nordic Council Literature Prize goes to "Om udregning af rumfang I, II og III" by Solvej Balle from Denmark". norden.org.
  14. ^ "Joanna Rubin Dranger wins nordic council literature prize 2023". norden.org. Archived from the original on October 31, 2023.