First reactions. Telephone interview, October 2025

“I’m very proud to be in the line of some really great writers and poets.” In this interview, new literature laureate László Krasznahorkai shares his happiness about his Nobel Prize, which came as a surprise. Krasznahorkai speaks about how bitterness is an important driver for him, and also highlights the importance of using your fantasy. “Without fantasy, it’s an absolute different life. To read books gives us more power to survive these very difficult times on Earth.”

Transcript

Jenny Rydén: Hello?  

László Krasznahorkai: Yes. 

JR: This is Jenny Rydén from the Nobel Prize. 

LK: Hi. Yes.  

JR: Is this László Krasznahorkai? 

LK: Yes, I am. 

JR: First of all, congratulations on your Nobel Prize in Literature. 

LK: Thank you so much. Thank you very much. 

JR: How are you feeling right now? 

LK: This is more than a catastrophe. I think now of the reaction from Samuel Beckett after the Nobel Prize, do you remember on this so-called report? No question, no answer. Do you remember the sentence: “What a catastrophe.” That was his first sentence after he knew that he got the Nobel Prize, “What a catastrophe.” That’s why I told you first that this is more than a catastrophe, it’s happiness and proudness. I’m very happy and I’m very proud, because to be in the line which contains so many really great writers and poets gives me power to use my original language, the Hungarian language. I am really very proud and very happy to use this little language. I thank, first of all, the readers. I wish for everybody to get back the ability to use their fantasy, because without fantasy it’s an absolute different life. To read books and to enjoy and to be rich, because the reading gives us more power to survive this very, very difficult time on Earth. 

JR: Indeed. Would you like to set the scene for us? Where are you right now, and what was it like when you found out about the prize? 

LK: I’m in a flat of a friend’s who is sick, and I visited him in Frankfurt am Main. I cannot believe that I’m a Nobel Prize winner, but I’m really happy. 

JR: You weren’t expecting it at all? 

LK: I am absolutely surprised. I didn’t count on it. 

JR: Could you tell us your biggest sources of inspiration? 

LK: The bitterness. I am very sad if I think of the status of the world now. This is my deepest inspiration. This could be also an inspiration for the next generation or generations in literature. Inspiration to give something for the next generation, somehow to survive this time because these are very, very dark times and we need much more power in us to survive this time than before. 

JR: So how much does writing mean to you to survive in these dark times, as you say? 

LK: This is my private thing actually, the writing. I normally never speak about what I write, and I never show to other wonderful writers and poets friends. I am writing a book and after that, I give it to my publishers and I need some time after that. And then it will come a day when I start and then I’m starting again with a new book to make better than what I did before. 

JR: I understand that you have various places that you live. Not only one, is that correct?  

LK: It’s correct. I’m living in Hungary, next to Budapest, on top of a hill. And I live in Trieste and sometimes in Vienna, actually, the old Austrian-Hungarian monarchy. 

JR: How do you want to celebrate this? 

LK: I am going to a so-called, in German, so called Anmeldeamt. I changed my place, my second place, and I will go to an administrator, to report my new address, postal address in Germany. 

JR: That was your plan for today, and that’s what you’re going to do now? 

LK: I didn’t count on these fantastic news, and that’s why I cannot make changes. Maybe in the evening we will make some dinner with my friends here in Frankfurt with port wine and champagne. 

JR: That sounds nice. Well, thank you so much. It’s been so nice talking to you. 

LK: Thank you so much. You are very kind.

JR: Thank you. And congratulations again. 

LK: Thank you again. Thank you very much. 

JR: Bye-bye.  

LK: Thank you. Bye-bye. 

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