Introduction

Since its inception, the Nobel Prize for literature has given a very public voice to some of the world's greatest writers, and their responses to the honor--their acceptance speeches--have often been epochal. From the famed call to arms by William Faulkner to the multicultural song of Derek Walcott, from 1903's Bjornstjerne Bjornson to 1999's Gunter Grass, this collection of 28 speeches traces the ideals of the artists and the selection committee itself throughout the 20th century. Included are an introduction to each of the writers chosen, an abridged copy of the speech or lecture and a bibliography of works in English.