2011 Nobel Prize in Literature Winner Announced

Officials from the Nobel Foundation announced today, October 6, that the 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature will go to Swedish poet Tomas Tranströmer “because, through his condensed, translucent images, he gives us fresh access to reality.”

The author was one of two favorites in the race to win this year's prestigious award, alongside poet Adonis from Syria, whose real name is Ali Ahmed Said. In the end, the prize went to Sweden.

Some of the awards Tranströmer won over the year include the Bonnier Award for Poetry, the Neustadt International Prize for Literature, the Oevralids Prize, the Petrarca-Preis, in Germany, the Golden Wreath of the Struga Poetry Evenings and the Swedish Award from International Poetry Forum.

His life's work includes over 13 series written in Swedish, as well as more than 10 works in English. His primary specialty is poetry, but Tranströmer also does translations and prose.