A Greek female writer has been nominated for this year's Nobel Prize for Literature.
Eva Metis Koutoumanou
Ersi Sotiropoulou was born in 1953 in Patras, is a Greek writer and studied Philosophy and Cultural Anthropology in Florence. Her first appearance in letters was with the poetry collection "Milos + Death + ... + ..." (1980).
In 2000, her book entitled "Zigzag in the bitter oranges" was awarded the State Prize for Fiction and the Novel Award of "Diavazo" magazine. Also, in 2011 her novel entitled "Eva" was honored with the prize of the Ouranis Foundation of the Academy of Athens while, a year later, her collection of short stories entitled "To feel blue, to dress red" won the State Short Story Award. Also, in 2017 Ersi Sotiropoulou won the "Mediterranean" Prize (Prix Mediterranee) for her book entitled "What remains of the night".
Greece has been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature twice – once in 1963 with George Seferis and once in 1979 with Odysseas Elytis. However, as it became known on Wednesday (2/10), in a few days Ersi Sotiropoulou may win the same prize since she is among the favorites for this year's Nobel Prize for Literature.
Specifically, in a relevant post by "Patakis" publications on Facebook, the following is mentioned about Ersi Sotiropoulou: "At the World Literature Forum, bets want her candidacy among the favorites, acknowledging to the author "the lucid exploration of human complexity through an innovative prose that examines the boundaries between the personal and the political". 45 years after Odysseas Elytis was awarded and 61 years after George Seferis was awarded, everyone's wishes are with her!"
The Nobel Prize for Literature is awarded by the Swedish Academy and the relevant announcement was made on Thursday, October 10 at 14:00 (Greek time). Unfortunately, it wasn't Ersi Sotiropoulou who won it. If she had won, it would hve been the third Nobel Prize for Literature in the history of Greece. The Prize went to the South Korean poet Han Kang, first Asian female to receive such prize. Congratulations to both! We still feel proud for Ersi Sotiropoulou and her nomination.
