Canadian poet Anne Carson named winner of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature

Canadian poet, essayist and translator Anne Carson has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature. Carson, 76, is known for works that often cross the boundaries between poetry, prose and science.

The Nobel Prize Committee said it had selected the poet “for her bold and inventive work which, in lively dialogue with the classical tradition, creates new forms for contemporary literature.”

The Nobel Prize is considered the most prestigious award in global literature, with the winner receiving 12 million Swedish kronor (1.2 million dollars).

Ingrid Carlberg, permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, said she had given Carson the news by telephone shortly before the public announcement.

“She had time to tell me that, for the moment, she is in Iceland, where she is listening to the wind. She was surprised, but very happy. I could hear it in her voice,” she said.