The Nordic Council Literature Prize is awarded for a work of literature written in one of the languages of the Nordic countries

Nordic countries

The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...

, that meets "high literary and artistic standards". Established in 1962, the prize is awarded every year, and is worth 350,000 Danish krone

Danish krone

The krone is the official currency of the Kingdom of Denmark consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. It is subdivided into 100 øre...

r (2008). Eligible works are typically novels, plays, collections of poetry, short stories or essays, or other works that were published for the first time during the last four years, or in the case of works written in Danish

Danish language

Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...

, Norwegian

Norwegian language

Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...

, or Swedish

Swedish language

Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...

, within the last two years. The prize is one of the most prestigious awards that Nordic authors can win.

The winner is chosen by an adjudication

Adjudication

Adjudication is the legal process by which an arbiter or judge reviews evidence and argumentation including legal reasoning set forth by opposing parties or litigants to come to a decision which determines rights and obligations between the parties involved....

 committee appointed by the Nordic Council

Nordic Council

The Nordic Council is a geo-political, inter-parliamentary forum for co-operation between the Nordic countries. It was established following World War II and its first concrete result was the introduction in 1952 of a common labour market and free movement across borders without passports for the...

. The committee consists of ten members, two each from Denmark

Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

, Finland

Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

, Iceland

Iceland

Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...

, Norway

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

 and Sweden

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

. The committee members are generally experts in their own country's literature, as well as their neighbouring countries. In addition to the regular members, additional members may be added to the committee if works are nominated from the Faroe Islands, Greenland

Greenland

Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...

 or the Sami language

Sami languages

Sami or Saami is a general name for a group of Uralic languages spoken by the Sami people in parts of northern Finland, Norway, Sweden and extreme northwestern Russia, in Northern Europe. Sami is frequently and erroneously believed to be a single language. Several names are used for the Sami...

 area. Apart from the monetary award, the intent of the prize is also to "increase interest in the literature of neighbouring countries as well in Nordic cultural fellowship".

Committee members as of 2011

• Asger Schnack (Denmark)
• Aðalsteinn Ásberg Sigurðsson (Iceland)
• Boel Westin (Sweden)
• Pia Ingström (Finland)
• Erik Bjerck Hagen (Norway)
• Eva Ström
  Eva Ström
  Eva Ström is a Swedish lyricist, novelist, biographer and literary critic. She made her literary debut in 1977 with the poetry collection Den brinnande zeppelinaren...
  
   (Sweden)
• Helene Uri (Norway)
• Lilian Munk Rösing (Denmark)
• Jón Yngvi Jóhannsson (Iceland)
• Kristina Malmio (Finland)

List of winners

The following is a complete list of recipients of the Nordic Council's Literature Prize:

Year	Author	English title	Original title	Country or Region
1962	Johnson Eyvind Johnson Eyvind Johnson Eyvind Johnson, was a Swedish writer and author. He became a member of the Swedish Academy in 1957 and shared the Nobel Prize in Literature with Harry Martinson in 1974 with the citation: for a narrative art, far-seeing in lands and ages, in the service of freedom.Johnson was born Olof Edvin...	The Days of his Grace The Days of his Grace The Days of His Grace is a 1960 novel by Swedish writer Eyvind Johnson. Set mostly in northern Italy, close to Aquileia, it tells the story of the fate of a Langobard family as their homeland falls under the domination of Charlemagne...	Hans nådes tid	Sweden
1963	Linna Väinö Linna Väinö Linna Väinö Linna was one of the most influential Finnish authors of the 20th century. He shot to immediate literary fame with his third novel, Tuntematon sotilas , and consolidated his position with the trilogy Täällä Pohjantähden alla Väinö Linna (20 December 1920 – 21 April 1992) was one of the...	Reconciliation: Under The North Star 3 Under the North Star Under the North Star is a novel trilogy by Finnish author Väinö Linna published 1959–1962. It follows the life of a Finnish family from 1880 to about 1950 while simultaneously describing the effects of the important ideals and events of that period have on ordinary people...	Täällä Pohjantähden alla 3	Finland
1964	Vesaas Tarjei Vesaas Tarjei Vesaas [Tarjei Vesaas was a Norwegian poet and novelist. Born in Vinje, Telemark, Vesaas is widely considered to be one of Norway's greatest writers of the twentieth century and perhaps its most important since World War II....	The Ice Palace The Ice Palace (novel) The Ice Palace is a novel by the Norwegian author Tarjei Vesaas, first published in 1963. The original novel is written in nynorsk and considered a classic of Norwegian literature. It has been translated to English...	Is-slottet	Norway
1965	Lagercrantz Shared Prize: Olof Lagercrantz Olof Lagercrantz Olof Gustaf Hugo Lagercrantz was a Swedish writer, critic, literary scholar and publicist . The son of bank director Carl Lagercrantz and Countess Agnes Hamilton, he married Martina Ruin , daughter of Professor Hans Ruin and Karin Sievers, in 1939...	From Hell to Paradise	Från Helvetet till Paradiset	Sweden
1965	Heinesen Shared Prize: William Heinesen William Heinesen Andreas William Heinesen was a poet, composer and painter from the Faroe Islands.- His Writing :The Faroese capital Tórshavn is always the centre of Heinesen's writing. He is famous for having once called Tórshavn "The Navel of the World". His writing focuses on contrasts between darkness and...	The Good Hope The Good Hope (novel) The Good Hope is a 1964 novel by the Faroese writer William Heinesen. It received the Nordic Council Literature Prize....	Det gode Håb	Faroe Islands
1966	Ekelöf Gunnar Ekelöf Gunnar Ekelöf Gunnar Ekelöf was a Swedish poet and writer. He was a member of the Swedish Academy from 1958. He was also awarded an honorary doctorate in philosophy by Uppsala University in 1958...	Diwan on the Prince of Emgion Diwan on the Prince of Emgion Diwan on the Prince of Emgion is a 1965 book of poetry by the Swedish writer Gunnar Ekelöf. It received the Nordic Council Literature Prize...	Dīwān över Fursten av Emgión	Sweden
1967	Borgen Johan Borgen Johan Borgen Johan Collett Müller Borgen was a Norwegian author, journalist and critic. He was married to Annemarta Borgen. Under the pseudonym of Mumle Gåsegg he wrote shorter articles in the newspaper Dagbladet, particularly during World War II...	Nye noveller	Nye noveller	Norway
1968	Sundman Per Olof Sundman Per Olof Sundman Per Olof Sundman was a Swedish writer and politician.Sundman was born in Vaxholm. After World War II, Sundman joined the Centre Party and was elected to the Riksdag....	Flight of the Eagle	Ingenjör Andrées luftfärd	Sweden
1969	Enquist Per Olov Enquist Per Olov Enquist Per Olov Enquist, better known as P. O. Enquist, is a Swedish author. He has worked as a journalist, playwright and novelist...	The Legionnaires	Legionärerna	Sweden
1970	Rifbjerg Klaus Rifbjerg Klaus Rifbjerg Klaus Rifbjerg is a Danish writer. He has written more than 170 novels, books and essays.- Biography :Rifbjerg was born in Copenhagen and grew up on the island of Amager, a part of the city, the child of two teachers...	Anna, I, Anna	Anna, jeg, Anna	Denmark
1971	Hansen Thorkild Hansen Thorkild Hansen Thorkild Hansen was a Danish novelist known for his Slave Trilogy. He also did works concerning Knut Hamsun and travel writing...	Islands of Slaves	Slavernes øer	Denmark
1972	Vennberg Karl Vennberg Karl Vennberg Karl Vennberg was a Swedish poet, writer and translator. Born in Blädinge, Alvesta Municipality, Kronoberg County as the son of a farmer, Vennberg studied at Lund University and in Stockholm and worked as a teacher of Norwegian in a Stockholm folk high school. His first poem "Hymn och hunger" was...	Sju ord på tunnelbanan	Sju ord på tunnelbanan	Sweden
1973	Meri Veijo Meri Veijo Meri Veijo Meri is a Finnish writer. Much of his work focuses on war and its absurdity. The work is anti-war and has dark humor....	Kersantin poika	Kersantin poika	Finland
1974	Sørensen Villy Sørensen Villy Sørensen Villy Sørensen was a Danish short-story writer, philosopher and literary critic of the Modernist tradition. His fiction was heavily influenced by his philosophical ideas, and he has been compared to Franz Kafka in this regard...	Uden mål - og med	Uden mål - og med	Denmark
1975	Salama Hannu Salama Hannu Salama Hannu Salama is a Finnish author.- Biography and work :Hannu Salama was born in Kouvola, Kymenlaakso region in Southern Finland. He spent his childhood in the Pispala district of the city of Tampere, in a traditional working-class area with working class politics and culture...	Siinä näkijä missä tekijä	Siinä näkijä missä tekijä	Finland
1976	Sigurðsson Ólafur Jóhann Sigurðsson Ólafur Jóhann Sigurðsson Ólafur Jóhann Sigurðsson was an Icelandic novelist, short story writer and poet.His published works include five volumes of short stories, six novels, two short novels, four children’s books and four collections of poetry...	Að laufferjum og Að brunnum	Að laufferjum og Að brunnum	Iceland
1977	Carpelan Bo Carpelan Bo Carpelan Baron Bo Gustaf Bertelsson Carpelan was a Finnish poet and author. He published his first book of poems in 1946, and received his Ph.D. in 1960. Carpelan, who wrote in Swedish, composed numerous books of verse, as well as several novels and short stories. He is the only person as of yet to have...	I de mörka rummen, i de ljusa	I de mörka rummen, i de ljusa	Finland
1978	Fløgstad Kjartan Fløgstad Kjartan Fløgstad Kjartan Fløgstad is a Norwegian author. Fløgstad studied literature and linguistics at the University of Bergen. Subsequently he worked for a period as an industrial worker and as a sailor before he debuted as a poet with his collection of poems titled Valfart in 1968...	Dalen Portland	Dalen Portland	Norway
1979	Lo-Johansson Ivar Lo-Johansson Ivar Lo-Johansson Ivar Lo-Johansson was a Swedish writer of the proletarian school.He described the situation of the Swedish land-workers, statare, in his novels, short stories and journalism, which encouraged the adoption of certain land reforms in Sweden...	Pubertet	Pubertet	Sweden
1980	Lidman Sara Lidman Sara Lidman Sara Lidman was a Swedish writer.Born in the village Missenträsk in the northern parts of Skellefteå Municipality, Lidman was raised in the Västerbotten region of northern Sweden. She studied at the University of Uppsala where her studies were interrupted by her receiving tuberculosis...	Vredens barn	Vredens barn	Sweden
1981	Hjartarson Snorri Hjartarson Snorri Hjartarson Snorri Hjartarson was an Icelandic poet, and a winner of the Nordic Council's Literature Prize....	Hauströkkrið yfir mér	Hauströkkrið yfir mér	Iceland
1982	Delblanc Sven Delblanc Sven Delblanc Sven Delblanc, born May 26, 1931 in Swan River, Manitoba, Canada, died December 15, 1992 in Sunnersta, Gottsunda Parish, Uppsala, Sweden was a Swedish author and professor of literature. He is buried in Hammarby kyrkogård in Uppsala, Sweden....	Samuels bok	Samuels bok	Sweden
1983	Seeberg Peter Seeberg Peter Seeberg Peter Seeberg was a Danish modernist novelist and playwright, inspired by the French existentialists. He made his literary debut in 1956 with the novel Bipersonerne....	Om fjorten dage	Om fjorten dage	Denmark
1984	Tunström Göran Tunström Göran Tunström Göran Tunström was a Swedish author. He grew up in Sunne, Värmland County. Tunström's style is personal and intimate, and has a clear autobiographical tone...	The Christmas Oratorio	Juloratoriet	Sweden
1985	Tuuri Antti Tuuri Antti Tuuri Antti Elias Tuuri is a Finnish writer, known for his works dealing with Southern Ostrobothnia....	A Day in Ostrobothnia	Pohjanmaa	Finland
1986	Patursson Rói Patursson Rói Patursson Rói Reynagarð Patursson is a Faroese writer and philosopher. He is also the director of the Folk High School of the Faroes....	Likasum	Likasum	Faroe Islands
1987	Wassmo Herbjørg Wassmo Herbjørg Wassmo Herbjørg Wassmo is a Norwegian author. She worked as a teacher in northern Norway until her debut as an author. Her debut work was a collection of poems, "Vingeslag"...	Hudløs himmel	Hudløs himmel	Norway
1988	Vilhjálmsson Thor Vilhjálmsson Thor Vilhjálmsson Thor Vilhjálmsson was an Icelandic writer. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Over the course of his life Vilhjálmsson wrote novels, plays and poetry and also did translations...	Justice Undone Justice Undone Justice Undone is a novel by Icelandic author Thor Vilhjálmsson. It was first published in 1986. In 1988, Thor won the Nordic Council Literature Prize for the book.It was translated to English in 1998 by Bernard Scudder....	Grámosinn glóir	Iceland
1989	Solstad Dag Solstad Dag Solstad Dag Solstad is a Norwegian novelist, short-story writer, and dramatist whose work has been translated into several languages. He has written nearly 30 books and is the only author to have received the Norwegian Literary Critics’ Award three times...	Roman 1987	Roman 1987	Norway
1990	Tranströmer Tomas Tranströmer Tomas Tranströmer Tomas Gösta Tranströmer is a Swedish writer, poet and translator, whose poetry has been translated into over 60 languages. Tranströmer is acclaimed as one of the most important Scandinavian writers since the Second World War...	For the Living and the Dead For the Living and the Dead For the Living and the Dead is a 1989 collection of poetry by the Swedish writer Tomas Tranströmer. It received the Nordic Council Literature Prize....	För levande och döda	Sweden
1991	Valkeapää Nils-Aslak Valkeapää Nils-Aslak Valkeapää Nils-Aslak Valkeapää, known as Áillohaš in the Northern Sami language was a Finnish Sami writer, musician and artist. He was born in Enontekiö in Lapland province, Finland. He lived most of his life in Käsivarsi, close to the border of Sweden, and also in Skibotn in Norway...	The Sun, My Father	Beaivi, áhcázan	Sami languages
1992	Sigurðardóttir Fríða Á. Sigurðardóttir Fríða Á. Sigurðardóttir Fríða Áslaug Sigurðardóttir is an Icelandic novelist and short story writer. She made her literary debut in 1980, with the collection of short stories, Þetta er ekki alvarlegt...	Night Watch	Meðan nóttin liður	Iceland
1993	Hultberg Peer Hultberg Peer Hultberg Peer Hultberg was a Danish author and psychoanalyst.Peer Hultberg was born in Vangede north of Copenhagen and lived in Horsens and Viborg during his child and teenage years. From 1953 he studied at the University of Copenhagen...	Byen og verden	Byen og verden	Denmark
1994	Ekman Kerstin Ekman Kerstin Ekman Kerstin Lillemor Ekman is a Swedish novelist.Kerstin Ekman wrote a string of successful detective novels but later went on to psychological and social themes...	Blackwater Blackwater (novel) Blackwater is a 1993 novel by the Swedish writer Kerstin Ekman. It received the August Prize in 1993 and the Nordic Council Literature Prize in 1994....	Händelser vid vatten	Sweden
1995	Guðmundsson Einar Már Guðmundsson Einar Már Guðmundsson Einar Már Guðmundsson is an Icelandic author of novels, short stories, and poetry. His books have been translated into several languages.- Background :...	Angels of the Universe	Englar alheimsins	Iceland
1996	Lønn Øystein Lønn Øystein Lønn Øystein Lønn is a Norwegian writer. He made his literary debut in 1966 with the short stories Prosesjonen, and followed up with the novel Kontinentene in 1967....	Hva skal vi gjøre i dag og andre noveller	Hva skal vi gjøre i dag og andre noveller	Norway
1997	Willumsen Dorrit Willumsen Dorrit Willumsen Dorrit Willumsen is a Danish writer. She made her literary debut in 1965 with the short story collection Knagen....	Bang. En roman om Herman Bang	Bang. En roman om Herman Bang	Denmark
1998	Forsström Tua Forsström Tua Forsström Tua Forsström is a Finnish writer who writes in Swedish. She was awarded the Nordic Council's Literature Prize in 1998 for the poetry collection Efter att ha tillbringat en natt bland hästar....	After Having Spent a Night Among Horses	Efter att ha tillbringat en natt bland hästar	Finland
1999	Tafdrup Pia Tafdrup Pia Tafdrup Pia Tafdrup is a Danish writer; primarily a poet, she has also written a novel and two plays, as well as works for radio....	Queen's Gate	Dronningeporten	Denmark
2000	Nordbrandt Henrik Nordbrandt Henrik Nordbrandt Henrik Nordbrandt is a Danish poet, novelist and essayist. He made his literary debut in 1966 with the poetry collection Digte. He was awarded the Nordic Council's Literature Prize in 2000 for the poetry collection' Drømmebroer...	Drømmebroer	Drømmebroer	Denmark
2001	Kjærstad Jan Kjærstad Jan Kjærstad Jan Kjærstad is a Norwegian author. Kjærstad is a theology graduate from MF Norwegian School of Theology and the University of Oslo . He has written a string of novels, short stories and essays and was editor of the literary magazine Vinduet...	The Discoverer	Oppdageren	Norway
2002	Christensen Lars Saabye Christensen Lars Saabye Christensen Lars Saabye Christensen, born 21 September 1953 in Oslo, is a Norwegian author.Saabye Christensen was raised in the Skillebekk neighbourhood of Oslo, but lived for many years in Sortland in northern Norway; both places play a major role in his work...	The Half Brother The Half Brother The Half Brother is a 2001 novel by the Norwegian writer Lars Saabye Christensen. The story follows a man who grows up in Oslo after World War II, with his mother, grandmother, great grandmother and half brother. The novel was published in Norwegian by Cappelen in 2001, and in English for the...	Halvbroren	Norway
2003	Ström Eva Ström Eva Ström Eva Ström is a Swedish lyricist, novelist, biographer and literary critic. She made her literary debut in 1977 with the poetry collection Den brinnande zeppelinaren...	Revbensstäderna	Revbensstäderna	Sweden
2004	Hotakainen Kari Hotakainen Kari Hotakainen Kari Hotakainen is a Finnish writer. Hotakainen started his writing career as a reporter in Pori. In 1986, he moved to Helsinki. He became a full-time writer in 1996. He has two children with his wife, sound technician Tarja Laaksonen, whom he married in 1983...	Juoksuhaudantie	Juoksuhaudantie	Finland
2005	Sjón Sjón Sigurjón Birgir Sigurðsson , known as Sjón , is an internationally known Icelandic author and poet. His pen name is formed from his given name , and means 'Sight'....	The Blue Fox The Blue Fox (novel) The Blue Fox is a 2003 novel by the Icelandic writer Sjón. It received the Nordic Council Literature Prize in 2005....	Skugga-Baldur	Iceland
2006	Sonnevi Göran Sonnevi Göran Sonnevi Göran Sonnevi is a Swedish poet and translator. Sonnevi grew up in Halmstad; he studied literature and linguistics at the University of Lund, also getting librarian training...	The Ocean	Oceanen	Sweden
2007	Stridsberg Sara Stridsberg Sara Stridsberg Sara Stridsberg is a Swedish author and translator. Her first fiction novel, Happy Sally was about Sally Bauer, the first Scandinavian to swim the English Channel....	Drömfakulteten Drömfakulteten Drömfakulteten is a 2006 novel by the Swedish writer Sara Stridsberg. The main character of the narrative is the American radical feminist Valerie Solanas. The novel received the Nordic Council Literature Prize...	Drömfakulteten	Sweden
2008	Aidt Naja Marie Aidt Naja Marie Aidt Naja Marie Aidt is a Danish language poet and writer.She was born in Egedesminde, Greenland, and was brought up partly in Greenland and partly in the Vesterbro area of Copenhagen. In 1991, she published her first book of poetry, Så længe jeg er ung . Since 1993, she has been a full-time writer...	Bavian	Bavian	Denmark
2009	Petterson Per Petterson Per Petterson Per Petterson is a Norwegian novelist. Petterson's debut was Aske i munnen, sand i skoa , a collection of short stories. He has since published a number of novels to good reviews. To Siberia , a novel set in the Second World War, was published in English in 1998 and nominated for the Nordic...	I Curse the River of Time I Curse the River of Time I Curse the River of Time is a 2008 novel by the Norwegian writer Per Petterson. It received the Nordic Council Literature Prize. The narrative is set in 1989 against the backdrop of a communist Europe. The story revolves around Arvid Jansen, the protagonist, and his relationship with his mother,...	Jeg forbanner tidens elv	Norway
2010	Oksanen Sofi Oksanen Sofi Oksanen Sofi Oksanen is a Finnish contemporary writer. She was born in Jyväskylä. Her father is Finnish and her mother is Estonian. So far, Oksanen has published three novels, one an international best seller and a play. She has received several awards for her literary work.-Life:Sofi Oksanen was born and...	Purge Purge (novel) Purge is a novel by Finnish-Estonian writer Sofi Oksanen, which has been translated into thirty-eight languages. Oksanen's third Finnish-language novel was published in 2008, based upon her original play of the same name, which was staged at the Finnish National Theatre in 2007...	Puhdistus	Finland
2011	Elíasson Gyrðir Elíasson Gyrðir Elíasson Gyrðir Elíasson is a leading author in Iceland. He was born in Reykjavík Iceland on the 4th of april in 1961, but was raised in Sauðarkrókur, a small town in the northern part of the country. He has written ten volumes of poetry and five books of prose. His style is called "highly personal" among...	Milli trjánna	Milli trjánna	Iceland

External links

• Official website
• Full list of nominees