Lessons from the Nobel Prize Winner Herta Muller

What can we learn from this year’s announcement that Herta Muller
has won the Nobel Prize for Literature? Here’s Seven Tips for Future Predictions.

The Nobel Prize Committee has a leak. When Herta Muller rockets from 50/1 odds to 3/1 odds in the last few days of voting, that’s not a hunch. That’s a good old-fashioned black-market leak. Someone squeaked. And the same thing happened last year with JMG Le Clezio. Even though the chair of the Nobel Committee said they’d prevent a recurrence from last year’s leak, it happened again. All the secrecy isn’t working, Mr. Chairman. Perhaps someone’s fake book cover slipped?

The Nobel Prize Committee Misdirects. Two days before the prize is given to a European (German) author, the leader of the Nobel Prize jury, Peter Englund, says the award has been too Eurocentric, and that U.S. authors and the Americas have as fair of a shot as anyone. Lesson learned? Never pay attention to public statements before the award’s announced. It’s more political than perspicuous. Also, recognize that the statements aren’t meant for this year, as much as for years to come. Perhaps a non-European winner in 2010?

Politics, Politics Politics. Herta Muller is the daughter of an SS officer. Herta Muller’s first book, a collection of short stories called “Lowlands,” was censored by Romanian authorities. Muller’s two novels, “The Land of Green Plums” and “The Appointment,” deal with totalitarian regimes. This is why recluses like Pynchon and McCarthy don’t stand a chance. Engagement with the world is key.

Europhilia Persists. Out of the last 11 Nobel Prize Winners, 10 have been European. And they think America’s insular? (Note: Gao Xingjian has lived in France for decades). Also, three of the last ten winners come from the German Language (Elfriede Jelinek, Gunter Grass, and now Herta Muller). Let’s spread the love.

Never Count Out the Poets. Okay, so a poet hasn’t won since 1996, true. (That was the polish poet Wislawa Szymborska). But Herta Muller does write essays and novels, as well, so this isn’t a straight poetry prize. However, the Swedes did highlight both her poetry and prose in awarding the prize: “the concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose.”

Highly Popular Authors Get Passed Over. Haruki Murakami? Everyone dreams about it, but no way. Philip Roth? But people read him already! The Nobel Prize jury prefers the lightly known. Although to be fair, at least some of Herta Muller’s books have been translated and reviewed here — JMG Le Clezio was a complete unknown in the U.S.

Amos Oz Feels Disappointed. For the second year in a row, Amos Oz has been the frontrunner and then been supplanted by an upstart at the last minute. For what it’s worth, BookFox sends its sincerest literary apologies. Now suck it up and write a book about peace between Israel and Palestine. Maybe that’ll get the Swedes’ attention.