The king stumbled - long live the king! The best writer will not be left without a reward

STOCKHOLM. Established an alternative Nobel literature.

117 years after the premiere, the main literary prize fell into the turbulence zone. A chain reaction called MeToo got to the silent pool of the Swedish Academy. Accusations of harassment, including in relation to Crown Princess Victoria, a long-term drain of information. The main culprit of the scandal, Jean-Claude Arnault, the owner of the Bohemian Club Forum and part-time husband of the poetess Katharina Frostenson, was called the Academy’s gray cardinal. The feeling of complete impunity, the lack of statements from victims of harassment brought the situation 20 years to the point of absurdity.

As a result, a crushing blow to the reputation, the need for the intervention of the Swedish king Charles XVI, a change in the charter, the resignation of several members of the Nobel Committee, the abolition of the academician’s lifelong status. Apotheosis - refusal to choose the best writer of this year. This happened earlier only in exceptional cases: mainly during the period I and II of the war or due to the lack of work of "sufficient importance".

Most of the 11 academicians who survived the cataclysm found honoring against the backdrop of the scandal inappropriate. However, good books appear regardless of circumstances. And their authors have the right to rely on praise and pleasant bonuses. The establishment of the New Academy and an alternative literary prize is a worthy way out of a difficult situation.

The finalists and the winner will be determined by a jury led by editor Ann Pålsson. It consists of 100 people: famous writers, journalists, critics, theatrical figures. All Swedish libraries participated in the selection of nominees. The name of the winner will be announced in October. The Academy is subject to self-dissolution on December 11, immediately after the award ceremony. Unless any other decision is made.

Among the nominees are 46 authors from different countries, in the creative luggage of which there are at least two books with stories about the life of people in this world. Many famous writers claim victory: prose writer and journalist Amos Oz (Amos Oz), “godmother of punk rock” Patti Smith, Pulitzer Prize winner (for the novel “Goldfinch”) Donna Tarrt, mysterious Elena Ferrante (Elena Ferrante), 2018 Booker Prize laureate Olga Tokarczuk, Nobel lucky lucky Haruka Murakami (Murakami Haruki), famous science fiction writer Neil Gaiman (Gaiman Neil), author of Harry Potter Joan Rowling (Rowling JK).

The purpose of the new award is to recall the humanistic mission of literature declaring the principles of democracy, tolerance, democracy.

Elena Tanakova © Gallerix.ru