Literature refers to creative writing of recognised artistic value. The Nobel Prize in Literature can be awarded to works of poetry, short stories, novels, plays, essays and speeches. The first award in this category went to poet and philosopher Sully Prudhomme for his 1865 work Stances et Poèmes. This prize has been given to a great variety of writers from different cultures and languages, famous and unknown.

South African Laureates:

Nadine Gordimer, 1991

1991 Nobel Laureate in Literature: Who through her magnificent epic writing has - in the words of Alfred Nobel - been of very great benefit to humanity ...read more.

JM Coetzee, 2003

2003 Nobel Laureate in Literature: Who in innumerable guises portrays the surprising involvement of the outsider ...read more.

For the full list of all the Nobel Laureates in Literature.

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