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The world-renowned Nobel Prize in Literature for this year has been bestowed upon Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai, as revealed by the committee.

The Jury highlighted the 71-year-old's "compelling and visionary collection that, in the midst of apocalyptic dread, reaffirms the power of art."

An Esteemed Career of Bleak Writing

Krasznahorkai is celebrated for his bleak, somber novels, which have won many awards, including the recent National Book Award for international writing and the 2015 Man Booker International Prize.

Many of his works, including his fictional works Satantango and another major work, have been adapted into movies.

Debut Novel

Originating in a Hungarian locale in 1954, Krasznahorkai first rose to prominence with his mid-80s first book Satantango, a bleak and mesmerising representation of a collapsing village society.

The book would go on to win the Man Booker International Prize honor in the English language many years later, in 2013.

An Unconventional Writing Approach

Frequently labeled as postmodern, Krasznahorkai is famous for his long, winding prose (the twelve chapters of Satantango each comprise a solitary block of text), dystopian and pensive subjects, and the kind of persistent power that has led reviewers to liken him to Gogol, Melville and Kafka.

The novel was notably adapted into a extended motion picture by director the director Béla Tarr, with whom Krasznahorkai has had a long creative partnership.

"The author is a remarkable writer of epic tales in the European tradition that traces back to Kafka to the Austrian writer, and is marked by the absurd and grotesque excess," commented the committee chair, chair of the Nobel panel.

He portrayed Krasznahorkai’s writing as having "developed towards … continuous language with long, winding sentences lacking periods that has become his signature."

Critical Acclaim

Sontag has referred to the author as "the modern from Hungary genius of end-times," while WG Sebald applauded the wide appeal of his vision.

Only a few of Krasznahorkai’s novels have been translated into the English language. The literary critic Wood once noted that his books "are shared like rare currency."

Global Influences

Krasznahorkai’s career has been influenced by journeys as much as by his writing. He first left socialist his homeland in 1987, spending a twelve months in West Berlin for a fellowship, and later found inspiration from east Asia – notably Mongolia and China – for books such as a specific work, and his book on China.

While developing War and War, he explored across European nations and resided temporarily in Ginsberg's New York residence, noting the legendary Beat poet's assistance as essential to finalizing the work.

Author's Perspective

Asked how he would characterize his work in an discussion, Krasznahorkai answered: "Characters; then from letters, words; then from these words, some short sentences; then further lines that are more extended, and in the primary extremely lengthy phrases, for the span of three and a half decades. Beauty in language. Fun in hell."

On fans finding his work for the first time, he added: "If there are individuals who haven’t read my novels, I would not suggest anything to peruse to them; on the contrary, I’d advise them to step out, settle in a place, maybe by the edge of a stream, with nothing to do, nothing to think about, just remaining in quiet like stones. They will in time come across someone who has previously read my works."

Award Background

Before the announcement, betting agencies had ranked the favourites for this annual award as the Chinese writer, an innovative from China author, and Krasznahorkai himself.

The Nobel Prize in Literature has been presented on 117 prior instances since 1901. Latest laureates are Ernaux, the musician, Gurnah, Louise Glück, Handke and Tokarczuk. Last year’s winner was the South Korean writer, the South Korean author most famous for The Vegetarian.

Krasznahorkai will officially accept the medal and diploma in a ceremony in winter in Stockholm, Sweden.

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