Anne Carson wins the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature

Canadian poet and essayist Anne Carson is the winner of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature, the Swedish Academy announced today.

The prize was awarded to her for “her bold and inventive work, which, in a playful dialogue with the classical tradition, has created new forms for contemporary literature”.

Carson, born in 1950 in Toronto, is one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary literature. Her training as a classicist and scholar of ancient Greek literature has been interwoven throughout her work with poetry, prose, translation and the essay.

Among her best-known works is “Autobiography of Red” (1998), a novel in verse inspired by the ancient Greek poet Stesichorus and the myth of Geryon. Her work also includes “The Beauty of the Husband”, “Nox”, “Float” and “Wrong Norma”.

The writer is known for interweaving genres and for the way she brings the classical tradition into a contemporary context, bringing together poetry, prose, dialogue and translation. She has also collaborated with visual artists, choreographers and creators of theatre and opera.

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature is worth 12 million Swedish kronor.