Lszl Krasznahorkai

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lszl Krasznahorkai (Hungarian pronunciation: [laslo

krsnhorki]; born 5 January 1954) is a Hungarian Lszl Krasznahorkai
novelist and screenwriter who is known for critically difficult
and demanding novels, often labeled as postmodern, with
dystopian and melancholic themes.[3] Several of his works,
notably his novels Satantango (Stntang, 1985) and The
Melancholy of Resistance (Az ellenlls melanklija, 1989),
have been turned into feature films by Hungarian film
director Bla Tarr.

Contents
1 Biography
1.1 Early life and education
1.2 Career as writer
1.3 Personal life
2 Importance and interpretation Krasznahorkai awarded the Vilenica Prize,
3 Works September 2014
3.1 Books Born 5 January 1954
3.2 Screenplays for films
Gyula, Hungary
3.3 Collections and critical studies
4 Honors and awards Occupation Novelist, screenwriter
5 References Language Hungarian, German
5.1 Notes
Nationality Hungarian
5.2 Further reading
6 External links Alma mater Etvs Lornd University (ELTE)
(University of Budapest)[1]
Jzsef Attila University (JATE)

Biography (University of Szeged)[1]

Genre novels, short stories, screenplays
Early life and education Literary Postmodernism
movement
Krasznahorkai was born in Gyula, Hungary, on 5 January Notable Satantango (1985)
works The Melancholy of Resistance (1989)
1954,[1][4] the son of Gyrgy Krasznahorkai, a lawyer, and
War and War (1999)
Jlia Plinks, a social security administrator.[2]
Seiobo There Below (2008)
After completing his secondary education in 1972 at the Notable Man Booker International Prize
Erkel Ferenc high school where he specialized in Latin, he awards Kossuth Prize
studied law from 1973 to 1976 at Jzsef Attila University DAAD fellowship
(JATE) (now the University of Szeged) and from 1976 to Spouse Anik Pelyhe (m. 1990, divorced)
1978 at the Etvs Lornd University (ELTE) (formerly the Dra Kopcsnyi (m. 1997)[2]
[1]
University of Budapest). After completing these law Children three (Kata, gnes, and Panni)[2]
studies, he sought a degree in Hungarian language and
literature from Etvs Lornd University.[1] As a Website
requirement of his degree work, he submitted a formal thesis www.krasznahorkai.hu
on the work and experiences of Hungarian writer and
journalist Sndor Mrai (19001989) after he fled Hungary in 1948 to escape the Communist regime that
seized power after World War II (Mrai lived in exile in Italy and later San Diego, California).[1] During his
years as a university student in Budapest, Krasznahorkai worked at Gondolat Knyvkiad, a publishing
company.[4] Krasznahorkai received his degree in 1983.[1]

Career as writer

Since completing his university studies Krasznahorkai has supported himself as an independent author. When
in 1985 his first major publication Satantango achieved success, he was immediately thrust into the forefront of
Hungarian literary life. The book, a dystopian novel set in his native Hungary, is regarded as his most famous.
It received a Best Translated Book Award in the English language in 2013.[5]

He travelled outside of Communist Hungary for the first time in 1987, spending a year in West Berlin as a
recipient of a DAAD fellowship. Since the collapse of the Soviet bloc, he has lived in a variety of locations.[5]
In 1990, for the first time, he was able to spend a significant amount of time in East Asia. He drew upon his
experiences in Mongolia and China in writing The Prisoner of Urga and Destruction and Sorrow Beneath the
Heavens. He has returned many times to China.[6]

In 1993, his novel The Melancholy of Resistance received the German Bestenliste-Prize for the best literary
work of the year.[5][7] In 1996, he was a guest of the Wissenschaftskolleg in Berlin.[6] While completing the
novel War and War, he travelled widely across Europe. The American poet Allen Ginsberg was of great
assistance in completing the work; Krasznahorkai resided for some time in Ginsbergs New York apartment,
and he described the poets friendly advice as valuable in bringing the book to life.[8]

In 1996, 2000, and 2005 he spent six months in Kyoto. His contact with the aesthetics and literary theory of the
Far East resulted in significant changes in his writing style and deployed themes.[9] He returns often to both
Germany and Hungary, but he has also spent varying lengths of time in several other countries, including the
United States, Spain, Greece, and Japan,[10] chronicling them in his novel Seiobo There Below, which won the
Best Translated Book Award in 2014.[11]

Beginning in 1985, the renowned director and the author's good friend Bla Tarr made films almost exclusively
based on Krasznahorkai's works, including Stntang and Werckmeister Harmonies.[6] Krasznahorkai said the
2011 film The Turin Horse would be their last collaboration.[12]

Krasznahorkai has received international acclaim from critics. Susan Sontag described him as "the
contemporary Hungarian master of apocalypse who inspires comparison with Gogol and Melville".[5] W. G.
Sebald remarked, "The universality of Krasznahorkai's vision rivals that of Gogol's Dead Souls and far
surpasses all the lesser concerns of contemporary writing."[13] In 2015, he received the Man Booker
International Prize, the first Hungarian author to be so awarded.[7]

Personal life

After residing in Berlin, Germany for several years, where he was for six months S. Fischer Guest Professor at
the Free University of Berlin, Krasznahorkai currently resides "as a recluse in the hills of Szentlszl" in
Hungary.[2][14] After divorcing his first wife, Anik Pelyhe, whom he married in 1990, he married his second
wife, Dra Kopcsnyi, a sinologist and graphic designer, in 1997.[2] He has three children: Kata, gnes and
Emma.[2]

Importance and interpretation

Regarding The Melancholy of Resistance (1989):
 ...the books narrative voice and focus change without warning, shifting from character to
character, occasionally in mid-sentence. Krasznahorkai flirts with surrealism, but without ever
consummating the relationship. His style is dense, and the story meanders at the pace of social
change, gaining speed only by force of its own gravity. Each paragraph runs on uninterrupted for
dozens of pages, resisting abbreviation or quotation.[15]

Works
Books

1985: Satantango (Stntang), novel.

Translated by George Szirtes for New Directions Publishing.
1986: Relations of Grace (Kegyelmi viszonyok), short stories.
To be translated by John Bakti for New Directions Publishing.
1989: The Melancholy of Resistance (Az ellenlls melanklija), novel.
Translated by George Szirtes for New Directions Publishing.
1992: The Prisoner of Urga (Az urgai fogoly), novel.
1993: The Universal Theseus (A Thseus-ltalnos), three fictional lectures.
Translated by Ottilie Mulzet for New Directions Publishing and included in The World Goes On.
1998: Isaiah Has Come (Megjtt zsais), short story.
Translated by George Szirtes for New Directions Publishing and included in War & War.
1999: War and War (Hbor s hbor), novel.
Translated by George Szirtes for New Directions Publishing.
2001: Evening at Six: Some Free Exhibition-Opening Speeches (Este hat; nhny szabad megnyits),
essays.
2003: Krasznahorkai: Conversations (Krasznahorkai Beszlgetsek), interviews.
2003: From the North by Hill, From the South by Lake, From the West by Roads, From the East by
River (szakrl hegy, Dlrl t, Nyugatrl utak, Keletrl foly), novella.
To be translated by George Szirtes for New Directions Publishing.
2004: Destruction and Sorrow Beneath the Heavens (Rombols s bnat az g alatt), novel.
Translated by Ottilie Mulzet for Seagull Books.
2008: Seiobo There Below (Seiobo jrt odalent), novel.
Translated by Ottilie Mulzet for New Directions Publishing.
2009: The Last Wolf (Az utols farkas), short story.
Translated by George Szirtes for New Directions Publishing in a limited-edition format paired with
John Batki's translation of Herman from Relations of Grace. Excerpt at Words without Borders.
2010: Animalinside (llatvanbent), together with Max Neumann, collage of prose and pictures.
Translated by Ottilie Mulzet for The Cahiers Series.
2012: He Neither Answers Nor Questions: Twenty-five Conversations on the Same Subject (Nem
krdez, nem vlaszol. Huszont beszlgets ugyanarrl.), interviews.
2013: The World Goes on (Megy a vilg), short stories.
Translated by John Batki, George Szirtes and Ottilie Mulzet for New Directions Publishing.
2016: The Homecoming of Baron Wenckheim (Br Wenckheim hazatr), novel.
To be translated by Ottilie Mulzet for New Directions Publishing.
2017: The Manhattan Project, a literary diary with a photographic essay
Translated by John Batki for Sylph Editions.
2020: Spadework for a Palace, novella.

Screenplays for films

1988: Damnation (Krhozat), directed by Bla Tarr.

1994: Stntang, directed by Bla Tarr.
19972001: Werckmeister Harmonies (Werckmeister harmnik), directed by Bla Tarr.
2007: The Man from London (A Londoni frfi), directed by Bla Tarr.
2011: The Turin Horse (A torini l), directed by Bla Tarr.
Collections and critical studies

2013: Music & Literature No. 2, book length special issue of the magazine with texts by Krasznahorkai
and essays on his work by Bla Tarr and Max Neumann.[16]

Honors and awards

Krasznahorkai has been honored with numerous literary prizes, among them the highest award of the
Hungarian state, the Kossuth Prize, and the Man Booker International Prize for his English-translated oeuvre.[7]

2017: Aegon Art Award for Baron Wenckheim's Homecoming (Hungary)

2015: Man Booker International Prize[17]
2014: Vilenica Prize (Vilenica International Literary Festival, Slovenia)
2014: Best Translated Book Award, winner for Seiobo There Below, translated from the Hungarian by
Ottilie Mulzet. First author to win two BTBA awards.[18]
2014: America Award for a lifetime contribution to international writing
2013: Best Translated Book Award, winner for Satantango, translated from the Hungarian by George
Szirtes[19]
2012: Prima Primissima Prize (Budapest, Hungary)
2010: Brcke-Berlin Prize (Berlin, Germany) for Seiobo There Below
2010: Spycher-Prize (Leuk, Switzerland) for his complete work but in particular for From the North a
Mountain, ...[20]
2009: Prize of the Society of Writers (Budapest, Hungary)
2008: Hungarian Heritage-Award, (Budapest, Hungary)
2007: Nominated for Jean Monnet Prize (France)
2004: Kossuth Prize (Hungary)
2003: Soros Foundation Prize
2002: Laureate of the Hungarian Republic (Magyar Kztrsasg Babrkoszorja)
1998: Mrai Sndor Prize (Hungarian Ministry of Education and Culture)
1993: Krdy Gyula Prize (Hungary)
1993: Bestenliste-Prize (Baden-Baden, Germany) for The Melancholy of Resistance
1992: Dry Tibor Award (Hungary)
19871988: DAAD Fellowship (West Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany)
1987: Jzsef Attila Prize (Hungary)
1987: Mikes Kelemen Kr Prize (The Netherlands)

References
Notes
1. Krasznahorkai biography (official website) (http://www.krasznahorkai.hu/biography.html) (Retrieved 9 August 2012).
2. "Krasznahorkai, Laszlo 1954"(http://www.encyclopedia.com/article-1G2-2699000097/krasznahorkai-laszlo-1954.htm
l). Contemporary Authors, New Revision Series. 158. 2007. Retrieved 16 September 2012. (Subscription required (help)).
3. Wood, James (4 July 2011). "Madness and Civilization: The very strange fictions of Lszl Krasznahorkai". The New
Yorker. Vol. 87 no. 19. pp. 7175.
4. Grmbei, Andrs."Lszl Krasznahorkai, Hungarian writer"(https://www.ned.univie.ac.at/node/20660). Universitt
Wien. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20150520163905/https://www.ned.univie.ac.at/node/20660)from the
original on 20 May 2015.
5. Bausells, Marta (20 May 2015)."Everything you need to know about Lszl Krasznahorkai, winner of the Man Booker
International prize" (https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2015/may/20/man-booker -international-prize-laszlo
-krasznahorkai-who-he-is-and-why-you-should-read-him) . The Guardian. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
6. "Lszl Krasznahorkai"(http://hungarianreview.com/author/laszlo_krasznahorkai). Hungarian Review. Retrieved
21 May 2015.
7. "Man Booker International prize 2015 won by 'visionary' Lszl Krasznahorkai" (https://www.theguardian.com/books/2
015/may/19/man-international-booker-2015-laszlo-krasznahorkai). The Guardian. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May
 2015.
8. "Lszl Krasznahorkai: The Disciplined Madness"(https://www.guernicamag.com/daily/laszlo-krasznahorkai-the-discip
lined-madness/). Guernica. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
9. Vonnak, Diana (25 April 2014)."East Meets East: Krasznahorkai's Intellectual Af fair With Japan" (http://www.hlo.hu/ne
ws/east_meets_east_krasznahorkai_s_intellectual_af fair_with_japan). Hungarian Literature Online.Archived (http://ww
w.webcitation.org/6Yfakjshn?url=http://www.hlo.hu/news/east_meets_east_krasznahorkai_ s_intellectual_affair_with_ja
pan) from the original on 20 May 2015.
10. Csaba Tth (31 July 2014)."Laszlo Krasznahorkai: Hungary has been showing its uglier face the past 25 years" (http://b
udapestbeacon.com/public-policy/laszlo-krasznahorkai-hungary-has-been-showing-its-uglier -face-the-past-25-years/).
The Budapest Beacon. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
11. Kellogg, Carolyn (29 April 2014)."Can you say Laszlo Krasznahorkai?"(http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-
et-jc-can-you-say-laszlo-krasznahorkai-20140429-story .html). Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
12. Hopkins, James (2013)."Interview with Lszl Krasznahorkai"(http://www.lit-across-frontiers.org/transcript/interview-
with-laszlo-kraznahorkai/). Transcript. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
13. "LSZL KRASZNAHORKAI: ANIMALINSIDE"(https://www.aup.edu/news-events/events/2010-09-13/l%C3%A1s
zl%C3%B3-krasznahorkai-animalinside). The American University of Paris. 2010. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
14. Lszl Krasznahorkai Author at New Directions Publishing(http://ndbooks.com/author/laszlo-krasznahorkai)
(Retrieved 9 August 2012).
15. Ervin, Andrew (18 January 2001)."Hungary for More: Let The Melancholy of Resistance be your introduction to
Hungarian literature"(http://archives.citypaper.net/articles/011801/ae.books.shtml). Philadelphia City Paper. Archived
(http://www.webcitation.org/6YfWGngvK?url=http://citypaper.net/articles/011801/ae.books.shtml)from the original on
20 May 2015.
16. "Lszl Krasznahorkai"(http://www.musicandliterature.org/issues/2). Music & Literature Magazine. No. 2. 2013.
Retrieved 11 April 2015. (Subscription required (help)).
17. "Hungarian writer wins Man Booker International Prize"(http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/books/Hungarian
-writer-wins-Man-Booker-International-Prize/articleshow/47357743.cms) . The Times of India. 20 May 2015. Archived
(http://www.webcitation.org/6YfVUyjA1?url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/books/Hungarian-writer -win
s-Man-Booker-International-Prize/articleshow/47357743.cms) from the original on 20 May 2015.
18. Post, Chad W. (28 April 2014). "BTBA 2014: Poetry and Fiction Winners" (http://www.rochester.edu/College/translatio
n/threepercent/index.php?id=10932). Three Percent. Archived (http://www.webcitation.org/6YfbqNoyK?url=http://ww
w.rochester.edu/College/translation/threepercent/index.php?id=10932)from the original on 20 May 2015.
19. Post, Chad W. (6 May 2013). "2013 BTBA Winners" (http://www.rochester.edu/College/translation/threepercent/index.p
hp?id=6982). Three Percent. Archived (http://www.webcitation.org/6Yfc1lvLZ?url=http://www.rochester.edu/College/tr
anslation/threepercent/index.php?id=6982)from the original on 20 May 2015.
20. "Literaturpreis 2010 an Alissa Walser und Lszl Krasznahorkai [Literature Prize 2010 for Alissa W alser and Lszl
Krasznahorkai]" (http://www.spycher-literaturpreis.info/agenda/agenda-artikel/652010-spycher-literaturpreis-2010-an-al
issa-walser-und-laszlo-krasznahorkai.html)(in German). 6 May 2010.Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20150520
162659/http://www.spycher-literaturpreis.info/agenda/agenda-artikel/652010-spycher-literaturpreis-2010-an-alissa-wals
er-und-laszlo-krasznahorkai.html)from the original on 20 May 2015.

Further reading
Auerbach, David "The Mythology of Lszl Krasznahorkai," The Quarterly Conversation, 7 June 2010
Wood, James "Madness and Civilization: The very strange fictions of Lszl Krasznahorkai," The New
Yorker, 4 July 2011, pp. 7175.
Ervin, Andrew (18 January 2001). "Hungary for More: Let The Melancholy of Resistance be your
introduction to Hungarian literature". Philadelphia City Paper. Archived from the original on 20 May
2015.

External links
lszl krasznahorkai (official website)

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lszl_Krasznahorkai&oldid=782661477"

Categories: 1954 births Living people People from Gyula Hungarian novelists Hungarian screenwriters
Male screenwriters Hungarian male writers Postmodern writers Male novelists
Man Booker International Prize winners
This page was last edited on 28 May 2017, at 10:43.
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