The Hungarian Author László Krasznahorkai Wins the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature
The prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature for 2025 has been bestowed upon the Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai, as declared by the Nobel awarding body.
The Jury highlighted the seventy-one-year-old's "powerful and prophetic collection that, in the midst of end-times terror, confirms the power of creative expression."
A Renowned Path of Bleak Writing
Krasznahorkai is celebrated for his dystopian, somber books, which have won several prizes, for instance the 2019 National Book Award for international writing and the prestigious Man Booker International Prize.
A number of of his books, among them his titles Satantango and The Melancholy of Resistance, have been adapted into movies.
Initial Success
Originating in the Hungarian town of Gyula in the mid-1950s, Krasznahorkai first gained recognition with his 1985 debut novel his seminal novel, a dark and captivating depiction of a failing village society.
The book would later secure the Man Booker International Prize honor in English nearly three decades later, in 2013.
A Unique Literary Style
Often described as postmodernist, Krasznahorkai is renowned for his long, winding sentences (the 12 chapters of the book each consist of a single paragraph), dystopian and pensive themes, and the kind of relentless force that has led literary experts to compare him to Kafka, Melville, and Gogol.
Satantango was famously adapted into a lengthy film by director Béla Tarr, with whom Krasznahorkai has had a long creative partnership.
"He is a significant author of grand narratives in the European literary tradition that traces back to Kafka to the Austrian writer, and is marked by absurdist elements and grotesque exaggeration," said the Nobel chair, leader of the Nobel committee.
He portrayed Krasznahorkai’s style as having "evolved into … flowing structure with lengthy, intricate sentences devoid of punctuation that has become his hallmark."
Critical Acclaim
Sontag has referred to the author as "the modern Hungarian master of end-times," while the writer W.G. Sebald praised the wide appeal of his outlook.
A handful of Krasznahorkai’s novels have been published in English. The reviewer Wood once remarked that his books "are shared like valuable artifacts."
International Inspiration
Krasznahorkai’s career has been shaped by journeys as much as by his writing. He first exited socialist Hungary in the late 80s, spending a period in the city for a grant, and later found inspiration from Eastern Asia – especially Asian nations – for works such as one of his titles, and another novel.
While working on War and War, he explored across the continent and lived for a time in Ginsberg's New York residence, stating the legendary writer's support as vital to finishing the work.
Author's Perspective
Inquired how he would explain his work in an discussion, Krasznahorkai answered: "Characters; then from letters, words; then from these words, some short sentences; then further lines that are longer, and in the primary very long phrases, for the period of 35 years. Elegance in language. Fun in darkness."
On readers discovering his books for the first time, he noted: "If there are people who have not yet read my novels, I couldn’t recommend a particular book to explore to them; rather, I’d suggest them to go out, settle at a location, perhaps by the banks of a creek, with no obligations, nothing to think about, just staying in tranquility like stones. They will eventually meet an individual who has previously read my works."
Literature Prize History
Before the announcement, oddsmakers had ranked the frontrunners for this year's prize as Can Xue, an avant garde from China writer, and Krasznahorkai.
The Nobel Award in Writing has been given on one hundred seventeen prior instances since 1901. Recent laureates include the French author, the musician, Gurnah, Glück, Handke and Olga Tokarczuk. The previous year's honoree was Han Kang, the Korean novelist best known for her acclaimed novel.
Krasznahorkai will formally be presented with the award and document in a event in the month of December in Stockholm.
Updates to come