Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai wins the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature for his visionary and artistic storytelling that redefines modern literature
OdishaPlus Bureau
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai. The Swedish Academy announced the winner on Thursday in Stockholm. Recognizing him “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art.”
Born in 1954 in Gyula, Hungary, Krasznahorkai is a novelist and screenwriter known for his dystopian, melancholic works that blend absurdism, grotesque excess, and epic storytelling. His style draws from Central European literary traditions, echoing influences like Franz Kafka and Thomas Bernhard.
Santiago (1985) is his debut novel, a bleak portrayal of a collapsing rural community; adapted into a film by Béla Tarr.
The Melancholy of Resistance (1989) Another Tarr adaptation, explores chaos and apocalypse.
Other acclaimed titles include War and War and Seiobo There Below
He won the 2015 Man Booker International Prize and the 2019 National Book Award for Translated Literature.
Krasznahorkai was a frequent pre-announcement favorite in betting odds and literary speculation.
The prize, worth $1.2, million USD, will be formally presented on December 10, 2025, in Stockholm.
This marks the 117th Literature Nobel, following South Korean author Han Kang’s 2024 win. Krasznahorkai is the first Hungarian laureate since Imre Kertész in 2002.