Haruki Murakami: early leader in Nobel Prize predictions
It鈥檚 the Kentucky Derby of literature, the Super Bowl of bibliophiles, the most bet-on literary competition of the year. The announcement of the may be months away, but bet-placing is in full swing. In the top spot with 10/1 odds is Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami, according to British gambling site .
If past precedent is any indication, it might just be a good bet. Last year the prize was awarded to Swedish poet Tomas Transtromer, who was Ladbroke鈥檚 second favorite with initial odds of 9/2 (just behind Syrian poet Adonis, at 4/1).聽 Interestingly, Murakami was a favorite last year, too, with odds at one point hitting 8/1.
The author of 鈥淣orwegian Wood鈥� and 鈥淭he Wind-Up Bird Chronicle,鈥� Murakami is perhaps best known for his recent 鈥淚Q84,鈥� an epic trilogy that sold millions in Japan and the US. As we wrote in an earlier Chapter & Verse post, his novels 鈥渙ften feature defiant protagonists who run against the orderly, group mentality predominant in Japanese culture鈥�. Like his protagonists, Murakami is a vocal critic of Japanese policy, particularly its reliance on nuclear power.鈥� The Nobel Prize is often a political statement as much as a literary one, and in this increasingly anti-nuclear climate, Murakami鈥檚 views won鈥檛 go unnoticed.
Of course, Murakami鈥檚 not the only contender. Some 210 writers were nominated for this year鈥檚 Nobel Prize in Literature, some 46 of whom were nominated for the first time, according to the .
Behind Murakami is Chinese author Mo Yan (12/1) and Dutch writer Cees Nooteboom (12/1). Tied for fourth are Albanian author Ismail Kadare (14/1), Syrian poet Adonis (14/1), and South Korean poet Ko Un (14/1). Cormac McCarthy is currently running at 16/1, Alice Munro at 20/1, Bob Dylan鈥檚 rocking 33/1, and Jonathan Franzen鈥檚 way down at 100/1.
The betting kinds would be wise to check out Michael Orthofer鈥檚 deliberations on before plunking down cash on a choice like Bob Dylan (鈥�....anyone who bets on Dylan is basically just handing the money over to them,鈥� writes Orthofer).
As for us, we鈥檙e keeping our eye on Murakami and new names like Chinese writer Mo Yan, Italian writer and daughter of a Sicilian princess Dacia Maraini, and Spanish novelist Eduardo Mendoza Garriga.
Let the betting begin!
Husna Haq is a Monitor correspondent.
