Canadian poet Anne Carson wins 2026 Nobel prize in literature

Anne Carson, the Canadian poet, essayist and translator, has won the 2026 Nobel prize in literature, the Swedish Academy announced on 8 October 2026. The academy cited her “bold and inventive oeuvre that, in playful dialogue with the classical tradition, has created new forms for contemporary literature”.

Who is Anne Carson?

Born in Toronto in 1950, Carson writes poetry, prose and translation, drawing heavily on the literature and mythology of the ancient Greek world. She has taught classics at Princeton, New York University and McGill University in Montreal. She is the 19th woman to win the literature prize, out of 123 laureates.

What did the Swedish Academy say?

Ingrid Carlberg, permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, said she telephoned Carson shortly before the news was made public. “She had time to tell me that she is, for the moment, in Iceland, where she is listening to the wind,” Carlberg said. “She was taken by surprise but very happy. I could hear that in her voice.”

Anders Olsson, chair of the Swedish Academy’s Nobel Committee for Literature, said Carson’s work had “broken away from lyrical poetry bound to the narrative self and inspired new forms of contemporary literature”. Olsson described writing that moves between classical and modern poetry and between genres.

Which books is Anne Carson known for?

Her first book, Eros the Bittersweet, was published in 1986 and combined literary criticism with an exploration of desire and the ancient Greek tradition. Autobiography of Red, a 1998 novel in verse inspired by fragments of the Greek poet Stesichorus, retells the myth of Geryon, the red-winged monster killed by Herakles, as the story of a modern teenage boy navigating heartbreak and desire.

Men in the Off Hours won the inaugural Griffin poetry prize in 2001. Nox, published in 2010, takes the form of an accordion-fold box containing a reproduction of a notebook Carson made after her brother’s death. Her later works include Decreation, Red Doc> and Float.

How has Canada reacted?

Canadian prime minister Mark Carney congratulated Carson on X, saying she had “reimagined the classics” and calling the award a “proud moment for Canada”. David Leonard, executive director of the Writers’ Trust of Canada, called her work “intoxicating” and said her four-decade career had produced poems and essays that were “beautiful… smart… true and… humane”.

Ira Wells, president of PEN Canada, said Carson’s win felt “particularly significant at a moment in which Canada and Europe are strengthening cultural ties amidst broader global disruption”.

What has Anne Carson said about her own work?

Asked why she moves between forms, Carson said in an interview: “Boredom, I guess. There is a restlessness. There are a lot of forms to try.” She has acknowledged the difficulties of her experimental style, saying her work “does fall apart a lot”.

In an August 2024 article for the London Review of Books, Carson disclosed that she had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Frequently asked questions

Who won the 2026 Nobel prize in literature?

Anne Carson, the Canadian poet, essayist and translator, won the 2026 Nobel prize in literature. The Swedish Academy made the announcement on 8 October 2026.

How much money does the Nobel prize in literature carry?

The literature laureate receives 12m Swedish kronor, equivalent to about £900,000. The prize is awarded for a lifetime body of work.

How many women have won the Nobel prize in literature?

Anne Carson is the 19th woman to win the literature prize, out of 123 literature laureates.

Which books is Anne Carson best known for?

Her best-known work is Autobiography of Red, a 1998 novel in verse inspired by the Greek poet Stesichorus. Her first book, Eros the Bittersweet, was published in 1986.

With reporting from The Guardian.

Stock image, not from the events described. City Skyline — Joe deSousa / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)