Hungarian novelist László Krasznahorkai has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature for what the Swedish Academy described as his “compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art.”
Known for his darkly humorous, philosophical prose and famously long, flowing sentences, Krasznahorkai has long been regarded as one of Europe’s most distinctive literary voices.
His debut novel Satantango and the acclaimed The Melancholy of Resistance were both adapted into films by celebrated Hungarian director Béla Tarr, further cementing his status as a master of modern existential storytelling.
The Swedish Academy Praises His Visionary Art
Announcing the award in Stockholm, Steve Sem-Sandberg of the Nobel Committee praised Krasznahorkai’s “artistic gaze, entirely free of illusion,” noting how his work “sees through the fragility of the social order” while maintaining “an unwavering belief in the power of art.”
The committee described Krasznahorkai as “a great epic writer in the Central European tradition,” drawing comparisons to Franz Kafka and Thomas Bernhard, both known for their absurdism and grotesque humor.
A Career Marked by Global Recognition
At 71, Krasznahorkai is no stranger to literary acclaim. He won the 2015 Man Booker International Prize, with judges praising his “extraordinary sentences” — immense, spiraling constructions that shift “from solemn to madcap to quizzical to desolate.”
In 2019, he received the National Book Award for Translated Literature in the U.S. for Baron Wenckheim’s Homecoming, further showcasing his global literary influence.
Celebrated American writer Susan Sontag once called Krasznahorkai “the contemporary master of the Apocalypse.” He was also close friends with poet Allen Ginsberg, often staying at Ginsberg’s New York apartment during visits to the U.S.
Hungary’s First Nobel Literature Laureate in Over Two Decades
Krasznahorkai is the first Hungarian Nobel laureate in literature since Imre Kertész, who won the prize in 2002. He now joins an elite list of past Nobel winners that includes Ernest Hemingway, Toni Morrison, and Kazuo Ishiguro.
The Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded 117 times to 121 recipients since its founding. Last year’s winner, South Korean author Han Kang, was recognized for works that “confront historical traumas and expose the fragility of human life.”
About the Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes were established by Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, creator of dynamite, who dedicated his fortune to honoring achievements that benefit humanity. Each laureate receives 11 million Swedish kronor (approximately $1.2 million), an 18-carat gold medal, and a diploma.
The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Friday, followed by the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences on Monday. The official Nobel Prize award ceremonies will take place on December 10, marking the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death in 1896.
