When the Nobel Prize for literature is announced, my usual response is, “Um, who?”
After all, I don’t read (much) literary fiction, and to my knowledge no writer of children’s fiction or science fiction has been recognized for being “the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction.” (Nobel’s criteria)
But this year’s winner, Mario Vargas Llosa, caught my eye – not only for being the first South American winner of the prize, and for his previous run for President of Peru, but because of this snippet from an interview:
Mr. Vargas Llosa has now left politics, and he believes that he can better shape the world with his pen. Or as he told me (the reporter) in Lima: “Through writing, one can change history.”
Being both a politician and a writer myself, this resonated with me. And while I’m nowhere near the stature of Mr. Vargas Llosa in either politics or writing, I can see the truth of his statement: I too believe that ideas are more powerful than any one person, and that capturing ideas in writing can literally change the world.
I believe children’s fiction has a similar power to move the world, by shaping the young lives that it influences. I know the books I read as a child had a formative effect on the way I think and the beliefs that I still hold. Perhaps someday, the Nobel committee will recognize the importance of children’s literature. But until then, I will have to read some of Mr. Vargas Llosa’s work, to see how his pen is shaping the world. Most of his novels rail against the evils of dictatorships, which is something the world needs to hear.
Note to Mr. Vargas Llosa: Mockingjay is an anti-dictatorship YA novel that you would probably enjoy.
Note to my followers: Make sure to enter the Scribbler’s Cove contest to win a signed copy of Mockingjay. Contest ends 10/15.
Loved this post! And Mr. Vargas Llosa sounds like a very worthy Nobel Prize winner.
Um … not to split hairs or anything, but Gabriel Garcia Marquez won the prize in 1982. And, as he's Colombian …
This is a great book.
Also a pity that Borges never won too
yes! that's why (forgive my obsession) the hunger games books are so amazing. sometimes books are just good, fun, moving adventures… but HG (and others like it) take the opportunity to make a mark on the minds of readers.
ask a kid who reads what they want to be for halloween- it's often a character they love from a book… they want to immulate- BE the characters. children's lit sure does effect and shape people. a lot more than we realize, i'm sure. 🙂
@KarenG Agreed!
@Anonymous Right you are! I mis-read the article, where it states that he was the first South American to win the prize in twenty years. Thanks for th correction!
@eeleenlee I'm the last to weigh in on the merits of the nominees. 🙂
@aspiring Exactly! Kids literally try their heroes on for size! 🙂
I agree that YA lit should have a place among the Nobel Prize winners. It has such potential to shape the world. Congratulation to Vargas Llosa for seeing another way to affect the world, taking that leap, and winning the Prize!
Thanks for sharing – nice to see a politician get smart. I might check out his work, too!
Yeah, he's worth reading. And it's neat to see another South American get it. I'm just waiting for a Canadian fantasy writer to get it. That would be nice. 🙂
Thanks for this very interesting post, Susan!! 🙂
hi miss susan! you always got such cool stuff to say. my mom said theres lots of power in words so i think thats the same thing as youre saying. for me i like pretending im some of those neat characters out the books i read. i hope some day my words i write got lots of power for good.
…hugs from lenny
@Nicki So next year, you and I just need to sneak onto the nominating committee … 🙂
@Margo Running for the president of Peru sounds like enough life-endangering acts for a lifetime! Not that writing is much safer …
@Bryan I'll nominate you as soon as you get your book out. 🙂
@Shannon Thanks for stopping by!
@Lenny Your words alreay have lots of power for good! I always look forward to your comments!
Great post, Susan…Did you know Churchill was a politician, a nf writer and a fiction writer? I have two of his novels and 4 of his historical accounts of WWII. I'm reading one of them and it reads like a novel. I was quite surprised. 🙂
@Sharon Yes! I was a fan of Churchill before I discovered he was a talented writer. One of my favorite quotes is from him. 🙂