Anne Carson Wins the Nobel Prize in Literature
This week, we’ve unlocked all of Carson’s work from our archive.
The Nobel Prize committee has announced that Canadian poet, essayist, classicist, and translator Anne Carson has been awarded the 2026 literature prize. In their citation, they lauded Carson's "bold and inventive oeuvre that, in playful dialogue with the classical tradition, has created new forms for contemporary literature." The honor comes after Carson was awarded the Review's Hadada prize for lifetime achievement in 2025.
In 2004, Carson was interviewed for the Review, explaining her motivations for writing. She stated, "I write to find out what I think about something." During the interview, she also discussed her relationship with God, her life as a gay man, and a boxing class she was taking at the time.
Carson's work often draws inspiration from ancient texts, which she admires for their layers of history. She notes that surfaces with imperfections, like tea stains, are more interesting than perfect surfaces. This historical perspective is reflected in her writings, where she embraces the layers of time and history present in ancient Greek texts.
Written by urgent.news from The Paris Review's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
