Meet the nominees for the 2022 Nordic Council Literature Prize

Love, power, and exclusion are among the common themes of the fourteen Nordic novels and poetry collections that have been nominated for the 2022 Nordic Council Literature Prize. This year’s nominees span the entire Nordic Region with works from all countries and language areas. The winner will be announced on 1 November in Helsinki.

This year’s strong representation from the world of fiction breathes sensuality, and the enigma of desire is embodied historically, poetically, and in closed spaces. The nominees also explore natural patterns of life, time travel, and people who find themselves alone, both in prose and enraged poetry. The nominees also deal with Arctic pain and special geopolitical circumstances, as well as changing living conditions that can take unexpected forms, both painful and artful. 

Here are the nominees for this year’s literature prize:

Denmark

• Om udregning af rumfang (I, II og III) by Solvej Balle. 
• Adam i Paradis by Rakel Haslund-Gjerrild. 

Finland

• Eunukki by Kristina Carlson.
• Röda rummet by Kaj Korkea-aho. 

Faroe Islands

• Sólgarðurin by Beinir Bergsson. 

Greenland

• Arkhticós Dolorôs by Jessie Kleemann. 

Iceland

• Truflunin by Steinar Bragi.
• Aprílsólarkuldi by Elísabet Jökulsdóttir. . 

Noway

• Dette er G by Inghill Johansen. 
• Jente, 1983 by Linn Ullmann.

Sami language area

• Beaivváš mánát by Mary Ailonieida Sombán Mari. 

Sweden

• Löpa varg by Kerstin Ekman. 
• Den dagen den sorgen by Jesper Larsson.  

Åland

• Hem by Karin Erlandsson. 

The works have been nominated by the national members of the adjudication committee for the 2022 Nordic Council Literature Prize.

Winner to be announced in November

The winner of the 2022 Nordic Council Literature Prize will be announced on 1 November in Helsinki in conjunction with the Session of the Nordic Council. The winner will receive the Nordlys statuette and DKK 300,000.  

60 years of the Nordic Council Literature Prize

Sofi Oksanen, Kirsten Thorup, Jon Fosse, Niviaq Korneliussen, Rói Patursson, Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir, and Tomas Tranströmer are just some of the authors who have been awarded the Nordic Council Literature Prize over the past 60 years. 

In 2022, we’re celebrating 60 years of the Nordic Council Literature Prize. The prize was first awarded in 1962. It goes to a literary work written in one of the Nordic languages, such as a novel, drama, poetry collection, or a collection of short stories or essays that meets high literary and artistic standards.

The purpose of the Nordic Council’s five prizes is to raise interest in the Nordic cultural community and Nordic co-operation on the environment, as well as to recognise outstanding artistic and environmental efforts.   

Please read more about the  literature prize and previous years’ winners and nominees