Canadian poet Anne Carson wins the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature

The Swedish Academy awarded Anne Carson the literature prize for work that mixes classical tradition with new forms. The award is 12 million Swedish kronor.

Canadian poet, essayist and translator Anne Carson won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday. The Swedish Academy cited her bold and inventive body of work and said her dialogue with the classical tradition had created new forms for contemporary literature.

Carson is 76. The BBC said she was in Iceland when she heard. She told public broadcaster RUV the judges were crazy. The New York Times, quoting her agent Nicole Aragi, reported that her reaction was “Yikes.” Permanent secretary Ingrid Carlberg told CNN Carson had been listening to the wind.

The prize is 12 million Swedish kronor, about 1.2 million dollars, the BBC and the Times reported. Committee chair Anders Olsson said Carson had moved away from lyric tied to a narrative self and mixed classical and modern poetry with other genres. Works often named with her include Autobiography of Red, The Beauty of the Husband and Nox.

The Times said she is the third Canadian-born laureate, after Saul Bellow in 1976 and Alice Munro in 2013. Last year’s prize went to Hungarian novelist Laszlo Krasznahorkai. Bookmakers had listed Carson and Chinese writer Can Xue among the favorites.

The award is for a lifetime of work, not a new book. The reports did not give a date for the Stockholm ceremony beyond the usual December schedule.

People Sentiments Positive

• Carson told RUV the judges were crazy for honouring her.
• Her agent said Carson’s reaction was Yikes.