The Nobel Prize in Literature 2021 awarded to Abdul Razzaq Gherna

Abdul Razzaq Gharna wins the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature.

This was announced by Mats Malm, Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy.

The prize winner will be 118 in the chart.

Abdul Razzaq Jarna Received the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature. Swedish Academy The motive reads:

“The 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to the Zanzibar-born novelist Abdul Razzaq Jarna, who is active in England, to shed light on the effects of colonialism and the fate of refugees in the divide between cultures and continents.”

Born in 1948 on the island of Zanzibar, Tanzania, Abdul Razzaq Jarna came to England as a refugee in the late 1960s.

Jarna made his debut in his novel in 1987 with Memory of Departure, followed by Pilgrim’s Way (1988) and Dottie (1990). His most famous work is the novel Paradise which came out in 1994. It is one of his two titles that have been translated into Swedish, and the other The last gift.

Until his retirement, he worked as Professor of Arts at the University of Kent in Canterbury.

Unturned winner

The elections were announced in the usual order at Börshuset by the Academy’s permanent secretary, Mats Malm. Thus, Abdul Razzaq Gharna became the 118th place to be awarded the prize.

Among the favorites were Jamaica Kincaid, Anne Carson and Lyudmila Ulitskaya. Norway’s Jon Vos and Karl of Knausgaard were also on the list. But the choice fell on Abdul Razzaq Jarna.

Aftonbladet experts are as surprised as the rest of the world after the news.

– a surprise! exclaims Ossa Linderborg, chief correspondent and former cultural director of Aftonbladet.

– It’s a great motivation. You are very excited to be involved in his writing, says Karen Peterson, Head of Culture at Aftonbladet.

Publisher: “Absolutely amazing”

Book publisher Cylander publishes Abdul Razzaq Jarna’s books in Swedish. He is a small book publisher specializing in anti-colonial and real-life history. When Aftonbladet reached out to publisher Henrik Seelander, he was almost in shock.

– I was so surprised, quite dizzy… I don’t really know what to say.

What does this mean for the publisher?

– It obviously means a lot of interest, but what that means in terms of finances etc., I actually have no idea.

How will you celebrate?

– I do not know. I haven’t had time to talk to my wife yet, says Henrik Seelander.

Nobel Prize 2021

• Medicine: Professors David Julius and Erdem Patbutian for their discoveries of temperature and touch receptors. Both researchers work in California, USA. Read more here.
• Physics: Three prize winners will share the Physics Prize for their climate research: Siukuru Manabi, Klaus Haselmann and Giorgio Baresi. Scientists have made important discoveries for understanding the Earth’s climate. Read more here.
• Kimi: Benjamin List and David W. C. Macmillan share this year’s Chemistry Prize because they “provided molecular designers with a sharp new tool: organic catalysis,” the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced. Read more here.
• Publications: The Swedish Academy announced that Adulrazak Gurnah was awarded this year’s award. Read more here.
• Peace Prize: The winners/recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Friday 8 October at 11.00 by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
• Economie: The winner of this year’s Swedish Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences will be announced in memory of Alfred Nobel on Monday 11 October at 11.45 by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.