Meet the nominees of the 2021 Nordic Council Literature Prize

Meet the nominees of the Nordic Council Literature Prize

From survival and madness to decay

April 14th sees the start of a brand new series titled “Author stories” featuring the nominees of the 2021 Nordic Council Literature Prize. Each week we’ll meet some of the authors to talk about survival, madness, relationships, motherhood, the desire to travel, decay, and other perspectives that their works touch on. There will also be readings of the nominated works.

This year’s nominees span the entire Nordic Region with works from all countries and language areas. There is a strong field of fiction covering such topics as writing on wet paper, the decay of capitalism, and socio-realistic relationships. In addition, the nominated works include an offer of survival methods, a valley filled with plastic flowers, and an apocalyptic text about the future of the planet.

The works comprise nine novels, four poetry collections, and one collection of short stories. Of their authors, Niviaq Korneliussen, Ursula Andkjær Olsen, Andrzej Tichý, Inga Ravna Eira, and Vigdis Hjorth have all been nominated previously.

Inspiring online meetings

“Author stories” gives us the opportunity to find out more about the authors from across the Nordic Region and listen to them talk about their nominated works. The episodes vary in both content and focus, depending on the authors involved and the moderator leading the each conversation.

“Nordic literature is very strong at the moment, which is why it’s especially nice that we’re able to have this digital series, ‘Author stories’. Listeners will be able to listen to some of the Nordic Region’s most interesting authors discuss common themes, writing as a profession, and the features of Nordic literature. Best of all, listeners can join in with these engaging conversations wherever they are in the Nordic Region,” says Yukiko Duke, translator, journalist, and host, who will moderate the first episode with Norwegian author Vigdis Hjorth and Ursula Andkjær Olsen from Denmark.

Don’t miss your favourite author

“Author stories” will be broadcast live on Facebook and YouTube every week starting on 14 April. You can see all the livestreams at our facebook-page.

  • April 14th: Vigdis Hjorth and Ursula Andkjær Olsen – moderator Yukiko Duke
  • April 21st: Lars Amund Vaage and Sebastian Johans – moderator Marit Lindqvist
  • April 28th: Andrzej Tichý – moderator Sara Nyman
  • May 5th: Johanne Lykke Holm and Niviaq Korneliussen – moderator Janne Breinholt Bak
  • May 12th: Pajtim Statovci and Guðrún Eva Mínervudóttir  – moderator Sofie Hermansen Eriksdatter
  • May 19th: Heidi von Wright och Lív Maria Róadóttir Jæger – moderator Malan Marnersdóttir 
  • May 26th: Andri Snær Magnason och Inga Ravna Eira – moderator Sunna Dís Másdóttir 

Nordic co-production

The digital conversation series is a co-production by the Nordic cultural institutions: Nordic Culture Point in Helsinki, the Nordic House in the Faroe Islands, the Nordic Institute in Greenland, the Nordic Institute in Åland, and the Nordic House in Reykjavik, which is also home to the secretariat for the Nordic Council Literature Prize.

Find out more about the nominees here.

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