Thinking about the Nobel Prize in Literature
Once again, I was waiting to hear the news that Ngugi wa Thiongo has won the Nobel Prize for Literature (2014), only to wake up and find out it was Patrick Modiano, described by the American media as "a little known writer". But that's okay; I welcome any writer who gets the award, whether or not the writer is "little" or "known little". Each time someone gets the award, a milestone has been realized in literature, and it gets me closer to the award. But you don't get that award for not writing. It is an inspiring moment; I get to write a few sentences here and there, still aware, of course, that it takes more than just a few sentences to get closer to the award. That said, I just know Ngugi should have won it. We have been waiting for too long, but again, what is too long? We will keep waiting.
I could easily politicize the issue and say he didn't win because they don't like something about his writing? Of course, I can, saying things like: his books are too Afrocentric and hence not Euro-centric. That he is too decolonized to dignify the Nobel. I can then even say they didn't give it to him because they determined it wasn't the right time yet, which leaves room for hope. There is always a next year. I don't know how Ngugi himself feels about this, but I'm sure it's just another day for him, that the award alone doesn't change much to someone who is already well-known, but there is the million plus wallet to think about; now, that's something worth noting: and then, and then, and then...all the appearances he would make at different institutions, talking with renewed authority, etc. But again, he already talks at all these institutions, without the Nobel. One wonders then, what an award of this magnitude would do to someone of Ngugi's stature. But looking at his corpus of work and at the fact that nearly all his children have become writers, one wants to argue that Ngugi should be given this award, so he can sit back, watch as the children bloom. Right? Or am I wrong?
Things like the Nobel make for good literary gossip. Some readers discover for the first time those nominated writers, and bookstores capitalize on such developments. And this is good for literature. Then the winner becomes highly visible. I didn't know Patrick Modiano, but now I am going to look for his books. I am going to look for the secret that caused him to win. I am seriously going to. He is yet another writer to be allowed (by me) to influence me, another writer to whom I will refer fiction students and perspiring practitioners of literature.
Back to Ngugi. A young writer in Spain recently Facebook-tagged me on a photo that features me, Ngugi waThiongo, Mukoma wa Ngugi, NoViolet Bulawayo, and Sarah Ladipo Manyika. We were in San Francisco, more than two years ago. The person who tagged me did so to tell me he is a reader of Ngugi and other African writers, and he was rooting for Ngugi to win (or is it get?) the Nobel Prize. I answered the young man's message by saying that I was also rooting for him, Ngugi, that is. Now, can you imagine the use to which that photo would be put, had Ngugi gotten the Prize? This blog would feature the photo, with a caption. But I will just post the photo now, without the caption, so you can figure out who is who:
There is no denying the fact that a Nobel in Literature brings attention not only to the writer, but to his or her body of work and to the country as well as continent of birth. Most importantly, the award brings attention to the idea of literature. Some people engage with the author's books, and may end up getting addicted to the works of similar writers, or writers from the same region. This is important, for a region to have writers who are known to get awards.
Awards are good.
I could easily politicize the issue and say he didn't win because they don't like something about his writing? Of course, I can, saying things like: his books are too Afrocentric and hence not Euro-centric. That he is too decolonized to dignify the Nobel. I can then even say they didn't give it to him because they determined it wasn't the right time yet, which leaves room for hope. There is always a next year. I don't know how Ngugi himself feels about this, but I'm sure it's just another day for him, that the award alone doesn't change much to someone who is already well-known, but there is the million plus wallet to think about; now, that's something worth noting: and then, and then, and then...all the appearances he would make at different institutions, talking with renewed authority, etc. But again, he already talks at all these institutions, without the Nobel. One wonders then, what an award of this magnitude would do to someone of Ngugi's stature. But looking at his corpus of work and at the fact that nearly all his children have become writers, one wants to argue that Ngugi should be given this award, so he can sit back, watch as the children bloom. Right? Or am I wrong?
Things like the Nobel make for good literary gossip. Some readers discover for the first time those nominated writers, and bookstores capitalize on such developments. And this is good for literature. Then the winner becomes highly visible. I didn't know Patrick Modiano, but now I am going to look for his books. I am going to look for the secret that caused him to win. I am seriously going to. He is yet another writer to be allowed (by me) to influence me, another writer to whom I will refer fiction students and perspiring practitioners of literature.
Back to Ngugi. A young writer in Spain recently Facebook-tagged me on a photo that features me, Ngugi waThiongo, Mukoma wa Ngugi, NoViolet Bulawayo, and Sarah Ladipo Manyika. We were in San Francisco, more than two years ago. The person who tagged me did so to tell me he is a reader of Ngugi and other African writers, and he was rooting for Ngugi to win (or is it get?) the Nobel Prize. I answered the young man's message by saying that I was also rooting for him, Ngugi, that is. Now, can you imagine the use to which that photo would be put, had Ngugi gotten the Prize? This blog would feature the photo, with a caption. But I will just post the photo now, without the caption, so you can figure out who is who:
There is no denying the fact that a Nobel in Literature brings attention not only to the writer, but to his or her body of work and to the country as well as continent of birth. Most importantly, the award brings attention to the idea of literature. Some people engage with the author's books, and may end up getting addicted to the works of similar writers, or writers from the same region. This is important, for a region to have writers who are known to get awards.
Awards are good.
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