Books! Books! Books! There is no end to knowledge. All you need to do is flip through the pages to get that extra dose of BOOKS infotainment. So simply read on... 03 SELMA LAGERLOF DORIS LESSING NOBEL NOD FOR: Telling stories rooted NOBEL NOD FOR: Writing about how in the sagas of her homeland and why we live The Swedish writer was the first woman In 2007, the British-Zimbabwean author to win the award in became the oldest person 1909. Besides writ- to win the Nobel at ing, she pursued 88. Her work was women’s issues mostly centred and helped Jewish writer Nelly Sachs around political, feminist issues; and escape Nazi persecution in WWII. race relations in Zimbabwe. READ SHIKASTA: Published in 1979, the READ THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES OF science fiction novel is about the his- NILS: The 1906 story follows the life tory of a planet, Shikasta, under the of a boy named Nils Holgersson. influence of three galactic empires. SVETLANA ALEXIEVICH TONI MORRISON NOBEL NOD FOR: Giving voice to the NOBEL NOD FOR: Depicting the historical post-Soviet individual role of African-American women in society The investigative journalist was the first Awarded the Nobel in 1993, the laure- woman from Belarus to receive the ate’s best-selling work explored award in 2015. Her books depict life black identity in America, and during, and after, the Soviet Union in particular, offered an idea through the experience of indi- of what it means to live in a vidual – and was presented as a black woman’s body. collage of interviews. Did you know of the 116 Nobel Literature Prize laureates, only 15 are women? Take a look at all the female bards who have won the prestigious honour since READ VOICES FROM CHERNOBYL THE READ THE BLUEST EYE: Toni ORAL HISTORY OF A NUCLEAR DISASTER: it was first awarded in 1901, along with what the judges said about their work Morrison’s debut novel was pub- In this Nobel award winning book, lished in 1970. It told the story of Alexievich interviewed hundreds of WHO IS SHE? Pecola, a young African-American people affected by the worst OLGA TOKARCZUK girl, who considers herself ‘ugly’ nuclear reactor accident in history. Born on January 29, 1962, in the and wishes for blue eyes. The winner of the western town of Sulechow, Tokarczuk studied psychology at 2018 Nobel Prize the University of Warsaw. She NADINE GORDIMER GRAZIA DELEDDA for literature worked as a therapist for a few NOBEL NOD FOR: Depicting the conse- NOBEL NOD FOR: Portraying the harsh years in the western city of quences of apartheid life of Sardinia in her poetry and stories Walbrzych and published a collec- The South African-born writer was award- The first Italian woman to win the prize tion of poems before taking a stab ed the Nobel in 1991 with Alfred Nobel in 1926, Deledda was inspired by the at prose. Following the success of calling her work a Sardinian peasants and her early books, she turned to writ- ‘great benefit to their struggles to humanity’. Her sto- write stories that ing full time and settled in the ries focused on racial issues, including shed light on the Sudety Mountains near the Czech apartheid, in her native country. real sufferings of human beings. border. The 57-year-old is consid- ered the most talented Polish nov- READ MY SON’S STORY: The 1990 READ LA MADRE (THE MOTHER): The elist of her generation, and has a novel tells the story of a family 1909 novel told the story of a string of bestsellers to her name. torn apart by illicit love, political Sardinian mother, whose son — a struggle and apartheid. priest — falls in love with a widow. Trained as a psychologist Tokarczuk practised as an addiction specialist Jean-Paul Sartre, the prize because he for a while but she burned out. She France takes the gold ates, including the awarded the 1964 had consistently medal for the most first one ever once told an interviewer: “I was Nobel Prize in declined all official Nobel Literature awarded, to Sully working with one of my patients, Literature, declined honours. Prizes with 15 laure- Prudhomme in 1901. and I realised I was more disturbed than he was”. She turned to writing after that and became successful. HERTA MUELLER SIGRID UNDSET NOBEL NOD FOR: Depicting corrup- NOBEL NOD FOR: Writing about tion, intolerance and repression medieval times based on Norwegian NOBEL NOD FOR: CONTROVERSY The German-Romanian author won myths, legend, and history READ FLIGHTS: The 2007 the award in 2009. Her stories stemmed The Norwegian writer first wrote about Tokarczuk has written more Booker International Prize The 57-year-old novelist, from her experiences modern women strug- than a dozen books and won winning book was praised known for her subversive of living in the So- gling for emanci- cialist Republic of numerous honours, including for its ‘series of startling streak has often irked pation before switc- Britain’s Man Booker Poland’s populists and con- Romania, under the repressive Nico- hing to historical novels – which won juxtapositions (as lae Ceausescu regime. her the Nobel in 1928. International Prize last year Tokarczuk) flies us servatives. She does not shy and Poland’s most presti- through a galaxy of depar- away from criticising READ ATEMSCHAUKEL (THE HUNGER READ KRISTIN LAVRANSDATTER: gious Nike Literary Award — tures and arrivals, stories Poland’s right-wing Law and ANGEL): This 2009 prose poem Published in 1920, this historical twice. Her books have been and digressions, all the Justice government. She depicted the persecution of ethnic trilogy follows the story of a turned into plays and films while exploring matters received death threats in Germans in Romania. woman living in the 14th century. and translated into more close to the contemporary 2015 after telling state than 25 languages, including and human predicament’. media that an open and tol- Catalan, Hindi and Japanese. erant Poland was a myth. ELFRIEDE JELINEK PEARL S BUCK NOBEL NOD FOR: Revealing the absurd- NOBEL NOD FOR: Portraying the ity of society’s cliches through her peasant life in China ALICE MUNRO olutionised the architecture of writing Born in US and raised in China, the pro- NOBLE NOD FOR: Being a master short stories. Munro’s stories The Austrian novelist and playwright, lific author won the are revered for the noted for her contro- Nobel in 1938. She’s of the contemporary short story way she pre- versial works on known for penning Frequently referred to as the sented human gender relations, over 30 novels, plus ‘Canadian Chekhov’ Munro has relationships female sexuality, and popular culture biographies, autobiographies, non-fic- won 22 literary prizes, including through the lens was awarded the Nobel in 2004. tion books and short story collections. the Nobel in 2013, for having rev- of daily life. READ THE PIANO TEACHER: The 1983 READ THE GOOD EARTH: The 1931 novel READ DEAR LIFE: In her stories, she highlights a novel is about a piano teacher dramatised family life in a Chinese moment in which a life is forever altered by a who gets in a relationship with village in the early 20th century. chance encounter or an action not taken. her student. GABRIELA MISTRAL NELLY SACHS WISLAWA SZYMBORSKA READ DESOLACION READ DWUKROPEK NOBEL NOD FOR: Writing NOBEL NOD FOR: Presen- READ ELI: A NOBEL NOD FOR: (DESPAIR): This (COLON): The 2006 poetry on themes of ting the cultural heritage MYSTERY PLAY OF Addressing existential 1922 collection of collection was love, betrayal and nature of the Jewish people THE SUFFERINGS OF questions in her poems poems was criti- ISRAEL: The 1943 chosen as the In 1945 the Chilean poet The German-born Jewish Described as the ‘ Mozart best book of became the first Latin- cally acclaimed poet and playwright fled play was the first of poetry,’ the Polish au- American author to re- for its deeply to Sweden after the Nazis Holocaust drama thor won the Nobel in 2006 in Poland. ceive the award. Her po- came into power in WW 1996. Her first poem, ‘I emotional voice. ever written. Or read ‘Utopia’, ems, focused on the Latin American II. Her experiences inspired her to Am Looking for a Word’, published available online. identity in contemporary times. write about the grief of her people. in 1945, is available online. SOURCES: WIKIPEDIA, WWW.NOBELPRIZE.ORG AND GOODREADS OCTOBER 16, 2019 MUST SEE MUST DO 1793: During the French Revolution, Queen 1964: China detonated its first atomic bomb Marie Antoinette was beheaded after being becoming the world's fifth nuclear power. they encounter various animals up convicted of treason. TELEVISION close and learn new things about MOVIES ON TV 1967: NATO headquarters opened in Brussels. them. 1847: ‘Jane Eyre’ by Charlotte Bronte was first ■ OKAVANGO: ■ THE HITMAN'S BODYGUARD, STAR 1968: Americans Tommie Smith and John published in London. RIVER OF ■ GLOBAL WHEELING: INDIAN ODYSSEY, MOVIES, 3.07 PM: Michael Bryce, a Carlos gave the Black Power Salute on the DREAMS, NAT HISTORY TV18, 7.00 PM: In Mumbai, protection agent, is tasked with 1854: Oscar Wilde, was born in Dublin, 200m medal podium during the Mexico GEO WILD, 3.00 a man in a bar advises Kayden to protecting Darius Kincaid, one of PM: A portray- avoid the coast and head east in or- the world's most famous assassins. Ireland. THIS City Olympics. al of the land- der to bypass the monsoon rains The two must then set aside their DAY THAT scape and and the melting Himalayan snow. differences to tackle several dan- escape his clutches.