Chinese Author Can Xue Leads Odds for 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature
As the literary world anticipates the announcement of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature, Chinese avant-garde writer Can Xue has emerged as the frontrunner, boasting odds of 10/1 according to betting agency Ladbrokes. Known for her thought-provoking works like Love in the New Millennium, Can Xue was also the favorite last year, though the prize ultimately went to Norwegian author Jon Fosse.
The Nobel Prize winner will be revealed on Thursday at noon BST and will receive a substantial award of 11 million Swedish kronor (approximately £811,780).
"This year's race for the Nobel Prize in Literature remains unpredictable, yet Can Xue has captured the most interest from bettors," noted Alex Apati from Ladbrokes. "While authors like Gerald Murnane and César Aira are generating considerable buzz, Can Xue remains the top choice among punters."
Born Deng Xiaohua in 1953 in Changsha, Hunan province, Can Xue has garnered critical acclaim and recognition on the international stage, having been longlisted for the International Booker Prize twice for her novel Love in the New Millennium, translated by Annelise Finegan Wasmoen, and her short story collection I Live in the Slums, translated by Karen Gernant and Chen Zeping. Her childhood was marked by the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution, during which her parents were subjected to manual labor in rural areas, leading to a truncated formal education that ended after elementary school.
If awarded the Nobel Prize, Can Xue would become the 18th woman to receive this honor, the third Chinese laureate, and the second still residing in China, following Mo Yan, who won the prize in 2012.
Trailing Can Xue in the odds is acclaimed Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami, positioned at 14/1. Murakami is celebrated for his diverse body of work, including bestselling novels like Norwegian Wood, Kafka on the Shore, and 1Q84, along with various short story collections and nonfiction works.
Canadian author Margaret Atwood and American writer Thomas Pynchon are both listed at 16/1. Atwood, renowned for her dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale and Booker Prize-winning titles The Testaments and The Blind Assassin, has long been viewed as a significant contender for the Nobel Prize. In 2017, when Kazuo Ishiguro received the award, he expressed his belief that Atwood would soon be recognized for her contributions to literature, stating, "I genuinely thought she would win it very soon."
With a diverse lineup of exceptional authors in the running, the announcement of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature is sure to capture global attention and spark lively discussions among literary enthusiasts.
