List of Nobel laureates in Literature - wikipedia List of Nobel laureates in Literature Horace Engdahl, the former permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, announcing that Jean - Marie Gustave Le Clézio won the 2008 Nobel Prize in Literature The Nobel Prize in Literature ( Swedish : Nobelpriset i litteratur ) is awarded annually by the Swedish Academy to authors for outstanding contributions in the field of literature. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the 1895 will of Alfred Nobel, which are awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature, peace, and physiology or medicine. As dictated by Nobel 's will, the award is administered by the Nobel Foundation and awarded by a committee that consists of five members elected by the Swedish Academy. The first Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded in 1901 to Sully Prudhomme of France. Each recipient receives a medal, a diploma and a monetary award prize that has varied throughout the years. In 1901, Prudhomme received 150,782 SEK, which is equivalent to 8,823,637.78 SEK in January 2018. The award is presented in Stockholm at an annual ceremony on December 10, the anniversary of Nobel 's death. As of 2017, the Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to 114 individuals. When he received the award in 1958, Russian - born Boris Pasternak was forced to publicly reject the award under pressure from the government of the Soviet Union. In 1964, Jean - Paul Sartre made known that he did not wish to accept the Nobel Prize in Literature, as he had consistently refused all official honors in the past. However the Nobel committee does not acknowledge refusals, and includes Pasternak and Sartre in its list of Nobel laureates. Fourteen women have won the Nobel Prize in Literature, more than any other Nobel Prize with the exception of the Nobel Peace Prize. Among all the years the Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded, there have been only four instances in which the award was given to two people ( 1904, 1917, 1966, 1974 ). There have been eight years in which the Nobel Prize in Literature was not awarded ( 1914, 1918, 1935, 1940 -- 1943, 2018 ). The country with the most recipients of the Nobel Prize in Literature is France, with 16, followed by the United States and the United Kingdom with 11. Contents 1 Laureates 2 Nobel laureates by country 3 Nobel laureates by language 4 Nobel laureates by sex 5 References 5.1 Notes 5.2 Citations 5.3 Sources Laureates Year Picture Laureate Country Language ( s ) Citation Genre ( s ) 1901 Sully Prudhomme France French `` in special recognition of his poetic composition, which gives evidence of lofty idealism, artistic perfection and a rare combination of the qualities of both heart and intellect '' poetry, essay 1902 Theodor Mommsen Germany German `` the greatest living master of the art of historical writing, with special reference to his monumental work, A History of Rome '' history, law 1903 Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson Norway Norwegian `` as a tribute to his noble, magnificent and versatile poetry, which has always been distinguished by both the freshness of its inspiration and the rare purity of its spirit '' poetry, novel, drama 1904 Frédéric Mistral France Provençal `` in recognition of the fresh originality and true inspiration of his poetic production, which faithfully reflects the natural scenery and native spirit of his people, and, in addition, his significant work as a Provençal philologist '' poetry, philology José Echegaray Spain Spanish `` in recognition of the numerous and brilliant compositions which, in an individual and original manner, have revived the great traditions of the Spanish drama '' drama 1905 Henryk Sienkiewicz Poland ( born in Russian Empire ) Polish `` because of his outstanding merits as an epic writer '' novel 1906 Giosuè Carducci Italy Italian `` not only in consideration of his deep learning and critical research, but above all as a tribute to the creative energy, freshness of style, and lyrical force which characterize his poetic masterpieces '' poetry 1907 Rudyard Kipling United Kingdom English `` in consideration of the power of observation, originality of imagination, virility of ideas and remarkable talent for narration that characterize the creations of this world - famous author '' novel, short story, poetry 1908 Rudolf Christoph Eucken Germany German `` in recognition of his earnest search for truth, his penetrating power of thought, his wide range of vision, and the warmth and strength in presentation with which in his numerous works he has vindicated and developed an idealistic philosophy of life '' philosophy 1909 Selma Lagerlöf Sweden Swedish `` in appreciation of the lofty idealism, vivid imagination and spiritual perception that characterize her writings '' novel, short story 1910 Paul von Heyse Germany German `` as a tribute to the consummate artistry, permeated with idealism, which he has demonstrated during his long productive career as a lyric poet, dramatist, novelist and writer of world - renowned short stories '' poetry, drama, novel, short story 1911 Maurice Maeterlinck Belgium French `` in appreciation of his many - sided literary activities, and especially of his dramatic works, which are distinguished by a wealth of imagination and by a poetic fancy, which reveals, sometimes in the guise of a fairy tale, a deep inspiration, while in a mysterious way they appeal to the readers ' own feelings and stimulate their imaginations '' drama, poetry, essay 1912 Gerhart Hauptmann Germany German `` primarily in recognition of his fruitful, varied and outstanding production in the realm of dramatic art '' drama, novel 1913 Rabindranath Tagore India ( formerly British Raj ) Bengali and English `` because of his profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse, by which, with consummate skill, he has made his poetic thought, expressed in his own English words, a part of the literature of the West '' poetry, novel, drama, short story, music 1914 Not awarded 1915 Romain Rolland France French `` as a tribute to the lofty idealism of his literary production and to the sympathy and love of truth with which he has described different types of human beings '' novel 1916 Verner von Heidenstam Sweden Swedish `` in recognition of his significance as the leading representative of a new era in our literature '' poetry, novel 1917 Karl Adolph Gjellerup Denmark Danish `` for his varied and rich poetry, which is inspired by lofty ideals '' poetry Henrik Pontoppidan Denmark Danish `` for his authentic descriptions of present - day life in Denmark '' novel 1918 Not awarded 1919 Carl Spitteler Switzerland German `` in special appreciation of his epic, Olympian Spring '' poetry 1920 Knut Hamsun Norway Norwegian `` for his monumental work, Growth of the Soil '' novel 1921 Anatole France France French `` in recognition of his brilliant literary achievements, characterized as they are by a nobility of style, a profound human sympathy, grace, and a true Gallic temperament '' novel, poetry 1922 Jacinto Benavente Spain Spanish `` for the happy manner in which he has continued the illustrious traditions of the Spanish drama '' drama 1923 William Butler Yeats Ireland English `` for his always inspired poetry, which in a highly artistic form gives expression to the spirit of a whole nation '' poetry 1924 Władysław Reymont Poland Polish `` for his great national epic, The Peasants '' novel 1925 George Bernard Shaw Ireland English `` for his work which is marked by both idealism and humanity, its stimulating satire often being infused with a singular poetic beauty '' drama, literary criticism 1926 Grazia Deledda Italy Italian `` for her idealistically inspired writings, which with plastic clarity picture the life on her native island and with depth and sympathy deal with human problems in general '' poetry, novel 1927 Henri Bergson France French `` in recognition of his rich and vitalizing ideas and the brilliant skill with which they have been presented '' philosophy 1928 Sigrid Undset Norway ( Born in Denmark ) Norwegian `` principally for her powerful descriptions of Northern life during the Middle Ages '' novel 1929 Thomas Mann Germany German `` principally for his great novel, Buddenbrooks, which has won steadily increased recognition as one of the classic works of contemporary literature '' novel, short story, essay 1930 Sinclair Lewis United States English `` for his vigorous and graphic art of description and his ability to create, with wit and humour, new types of characters '' novel, short story, drama 1931 Erik Axel Karlfeldt Sweden Swedish `` The poetry of Erik Axel Karlfeldt '' poetry 1932 John Galsworthy United Kingdom English `` for his distinguished art of narration, which takes its highest form in The Forsyte Saga '' novel 1933 Ivan Bunin France ( Born in Russian Empire ) Russian `` for the strict artistry with which he has carried on the classical Russian traditions in prose writing '' short story, poetry, novel 1934 Luigi Pirandello Italy Italian `` for his bold and ingenious revival of dramatic and scenic art '' drama, novel, short story 1935 Not awarded 1936 Eugene O'Neill United States English `` for the power, honesty and deep - felt emotions of his dramatic works, which embody an original concept of tragedy '' drama 1937 Roger Martin du Gard France French `` for the artistic power and truth with which he has depicted human conflict as well as some fundamental aspects of contemporary life in his novel cycle Les Thibault '' novel 1938 Pearl S. Buck United States English `` for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China and for her biographical masterpieces '' novel, biography 1939 Frans Eemil Sillanpää Finland Finnish `` for his deep understanding of his country 's peasantry and the exquisite art with which he has portrayed their way of life and their relationship with Nature '' novel 1940 Not awarded 1941 Not awarded 1942 Not awarded 1943 Not awarded 1944 Johannes Vilhelm Jensen Denmark Danish `` for the rare strength and fertility of his poetic imagination with which is combined an intellectual curiosity of wide scope and a bold, freshly creative style '' novel, short story 1945 Gabriela Mistral Chile Spanish `` for her lyric poetry, which inspired by powerful emotions, has made her name a symbol of the idealistic aspirations of the entire Latin American world '' poetry 1946 Hermann Hesse Switzerland ( Born in Germany ) German `` for his inspired writings, which while growing in boldness and penetration, exemplify the classical humanitarian ideals and high qualities of style '' novel, poetry 1947 André Gide France French `` for his comprehensive and artistically significant writings, in which human problems and conditions have been presented with a fearless love of truth and keen psychological insight '' novel, essay 1948 T.S. Eliot United Kingdom ( Born in the United States ) English `` for his outstanding, pioneer contribution to present - day poetry '' poetry 1949 William Faulkner United States English `` for his powerful and artistically unique contribution to the modern American novel '' novel, short story 1950 Bertrand Russell United Kingdom English `` in recognition of his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought '' philosophy 1951 Pär Lagerkvist Sweden Swedish `` for the artistic vigour and true independence of mind with which he endeavours in his poetry to find answers to the eternal questions confronting mankind '' poetry, novel, short story, drama 1952 François Mauriac France French `` for the deep spiritual insight and the artistic intensity with which he has in his novels penetrated the drama of human life '' novel, short story 1953 Winston Churchill United Kingdom English `` for his mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values '' history, essay, memoirs 1954 Ernest Hemingway United States English `` for his mastery of the art of narrative, most recently demonstrated in The Old Man and the Sea, and for the influence that he has exerted on contemporary style '' novel, short story, screenplay 1955 Halldór Laxness Iceland Icelandic `` for his vivid epic power, which has renewed the great narrative art of Iceland '' novel, short story, drama, poetry 1956 Juan Ramón Jiménez Spain Spanish `` for his lyrical poetry, which in Spanish language constitutes an example of high spirit and artistical purity '' poetry 1957 Albert Camus France ( Born in French Algeria ) French `` for his important literary production, which with clear - sighted earnestness illuminates the problems of the human conscience in our times '' novel, short story, drama, philosophy, essay 1958 Boris Pasternak Soviet Union Russian `` for his important achievement both in contemporary lyrical poetry and in the field of the great Russian epic tradition '' novel, poetry, translation 1959 Salvatore Quasimodo Italy Italian `` for his lyrical poetry, which with classical fire expresses the tragic experience of life in our own times '' poetry 1960 Saint - John Perse France ( Born in Guadeloupe ) French `` for the soaring flight and the evocative imagery of his poetry, which in a visionary fashion reflects the conditions of our time '' poetry 1961 Ivo Andrić Yugoslavia ( Born in Austria - Hungary ) Serb `` for the epic force with which he has traced themes and depicted human destinies drawn from the history of his country '' novel, short story 1962 John Steinbeck United States English `` for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humour and keen social perception '' novel, short story, screenplay 1963 Giorgos Seferis Greece ( Born in the Ottoman Empire ) Greek `` for his eminent lyrical writing, inspired by a deep feeling for the Hellenic world of culture '' poetry, essay, memoirs 1964 Jean - Paul Sartre France French `` for his work, which rich in ideas and filled with the spirit of freedom and the quest for truth, has exerted a far - reaching influence on our age '' novel, philosophy, drama, literary criticism, screenplay 1965 Mikhail Sholokhov Soviet Union Russian `` for the artistic power and integrity with which, in his epic of the Don, he has given expression to a historic phase in the life of the Russian people '' novel 1966 Shmuel Yosef Agnon Israel ( Born in Austria - Hungary ) Hebrew `` for his profoundly characteristic narrative art with motifs from the life of the Jewish people '' novel, short story Nelly Sachs Sweden ( Born in Germany ) German `` for her outstanding lyrical and dramatic writing, which interprets Israel 's destiny with touching strength '' poetry, drama 1967 Miguel Ángel Asturias Guatemala Spanish `` for his vivid literary achievement, deep - rooted in the national traits and traditions of Indian peoples of Latin America '' novel, poetry 1968 Yasunari Kawabata Japan Japanese `` for his narrative mastery, which with great sensibility expresses the essence of the Japanese mind '' novel, short story 1969 Samuel Beckett Ireland English and French `` for his writing, which - in new forms for the novel and drama - in the destitution of modern man acquires its elevation '' novel, drama, poetry 1970 Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Soviet Union Russian `` for the ethical force with which he has pursued the indispensable traditions of Russian literature '' novel 1971 Pablo Neruda Chile Spanish `` for a poetry that with the action of an elemental force brings alive a continent 's destiny and dreams '' poetry 1972 Heinrich Böll West Germany German `` for his writing, which through its combination of a broad perspective on his time and a sensitive skill in characterization has contributed to a renewal of German literature '' novel, short story 1973 Patrick White Australia ( Born in the United Kingdom ) English `` for an epic and psychological narrative art, which has introduced a new continent into literature '' novel, short story, drama Eyvind Johnson Sweden Swedish `` for a narrative art, farseeing in lands and ages, in the service of freedom '' novel Harry Martinson Sweden Swedish `` for writings that catch the dewdrop and reflect the cosmos '' poetry, novel, drama Eugenio Montale Italy Italian `` for his distinctive poetry, which, with great artistic sensitivity, has interpreted human values under the sign of an outlook on life with no illusions '' poetry 1976 Saul Bellow United States ( Born in Canada ) English `` for the human understanding and subtle analysis of contemporary culture that are combined in his work '' novel, short story 1977 Vicente Aleixandre Spain Spanish `` for a creative poetic writing, which illuminates man 's condition in the cosmos and in present - day society, at the same time representing the great renewal of the traditions of Spanish poetry between the wars '' poetry 1978 Isaac Bashevis Singer United States ( Born in Poland ) Yiddish `` for his impassioned narrative art which, with roots in a Polish - Jewish cultural tradition, brings universal human conditions to life '' novel, short story, memoirs 1979 Odysseas Elytis Greece Greek `` for his poetry, which, against the background of Greek tradition, depicts with sensuous strength and intellectual clear - sightedness modern man 's struggle for freedom and creativeness '' poetry, essay 1980 Czesław Miłosz Poland ( born in Lithuania ) Polish `` who with uncompromising clear - sightedness voices man 's exposed condition in a world of severe conflicts '' poetry, essay 1981 Elias Canetti United Kingdom ( Born in Bulgaria ) German `` for writings marked by a broad outlook, a wealth of ideas and artistic power '' novel, drama, memoirs, essay 1982 Gabriel García Márquez Colombia Spanish `` for his novels and short stories, in which the fantastic and the realistic are combined in a richly composed world of imagination, reflecting a continent 's life and conflicts '' novel, short story, screenplay William Golding United Kingdom English `` for his novels, which with the perspicuity of realistic narrative art and the diversity and universality of myth, illuminate the human condition in the world of today '' novel, poetry, drama 1984 Jaroslav Seifert Czechoslovakia ( Born in Austria - Hungary ) Czech `` for his poetry, which endowed with freshness, and rich inventiveness provides a liberating image of the indomitable spirit and versatility of man '' poetry 1985 Claude Simon France ( Born in French Madagascar ) French `` who in his novel combines the poet 's and the painter 's creativeness with a deepened awareness of time in the depiction of the human condition '' novel 1986 Wole Soyinka Nigeria English `` who in a wide cultural perspective and with poetic overtones fashions the drama of existence '' drama, novel, poetry Joseph Brodsky United States ( Born in the Soviet Union ) Russian and English `` for an all - embracing authorship, imbued with clarity of thought and poetic intensity '' poetry, essay 1988 Naguib Mahfouz Egypt Arabic `` who, through works rich in nuance - now clear - sightedly realistic, now evocatively ambiguous - has formed an Arabian narrative art that applies to all mankind '' novel 1989 Camilo José Cela Spain Spanish `` for a rich and intensive prose, which with restrained compassion forms a challenging vision of man 's vulnerability '' novel, short story 1990 Octavio Paz Mexico Spanish `` for impassioned writing with wide horizons, characterized by sensuous intelligence and humanistic integrity '' poetry, essay 1991 Nadine Gordimer South Africa English `` who through her magnificent epic writing has - in the words of Alfred Nobel - been of very great benefit to humanity '' novel, short story, essay 1992 Derek Walcott Saint Lucia English `` for a poetic oeuvre of great luminosity, sustained by a historical vision, the outcome of a multicultural commitment '' poetry, drama 1993 Toni Morrison United States English `` who in novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import, gives life to an essential aspect of American reality '' novel 1994 Kenzaburō Ōe Japan Japanese `` who with poetic force creates an imagined world, where life and myth condense to form a disconcerting picture of the human predicament today '' novel, short story 1995 Seamus Heaney Ireland ( Born in Northern Ireland ) English `` for works of lyrical beauty and ethical depth, which exalt everyday miracles and the living past '' poetry Wisława Szymborska Poland Polish `` for poetry that with ironic precision allows the historical and biological context to come to light in fragments of human reality '' poetry 1997 Dario Fo Italy Italian `` who emulates the jesters of the Middle Ages in scourging authority and upholding the dignity of the downtrodden '' drama 1998 José Saramago Portugal Portuguese `` who with parables sustained by imagination, compassion and irony continually enables us once again to apprehend an elusory reality '' novel, drama, poetry 1999 Günter Grass Germany German `` whose frolicsome black fables portray the forgotten face of history '' novel, drama, poetry 2000 Gao Xingjian France ( since 1998 ) China ( 1940 -- 1998 ) Chinese `` for an oeuvre of universal validity, bitter insights and linguistic ingenuity, which has opened new paths for the Chinese novel and drama '' novel, drama, literary criticism 2001 V.S. Naipaul United Kingdom ( Born in Trinidad & Tobago ) English `` for having united perceptive narrative and incorruptible scrutiny in works that compel us to see the presence of suppressed histories '' novel, essay 2002 Imre Kertész Hungary Hungarian `` for writing that upholds the fragile experience of the individual against the barbaric arbitrariness of history '' novel 2003 J.M. Coetzee Australia ( Born in South Africa ) English `` who in innumerable guises portrays the surprising involvement of the outsider '' novel, essay, translation Elfriede Jelinek Austria German `` for her musical flow of voices and counter-voices in novels and plays that with extraordinary linguistic zeal reveal the absurdity of society 's clichés and their subjugating power '' novel, drama 2005 Harold Pinter United Kingdom English `` who in his plays uncovers the precipice under everyday prattle and forces entry into oppression 's closed rooms '' drama, screenplay 2006 Orhan Pamuk Turkey Turkish `` who in the quest for the melancholic soul of his native city has discovered new symbols for the clash and interlacing of cultures '' novel, screenplay, essay 2007 Doris Lessing United Kingdom ( Born in Iran ) English `` that epicist of the female experience, who with scepticism, fire and visionary power has subjected a divided civilisation to scrutiny '' novel, drama, poetry, short story, memoirs 2008 J.M.G. Le Clézio France Mauritius French `` author of new departures, poetic adventure and sensual ecstasy, explorer of a humanity beyond and below the reigning civilization '' novel, short story, essay, translation 2009 Herta Müller Germany ( Born in Romania ) German `` who, with the concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose, depicts the landscape of the dispossessed '' novel, poetry Mario Vargas Llosa Peru Spain Spanish `` for his cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual 's resistance, revolt, and defeat '' novel, short story, essay, drama, memoirs 2011 Tomas Tranströmer Sweden Swedish `` because, through his condensed, translucent images, he gives us fresh access to reality '' poetry, translation 2012 Mo Yan China Chinese `` who with hallucinatory realism merges folk tales, history and the contemporary '' novel, short story 2013 Alice Munro Canada English `` master of the contemporary short story '' short story 2014 Patrick Modiano France French `` for the art of memory with which he has evoked the most ungraspable human destinies and uncovered the life - world of the occupation '' novel 2015 Svetlana Alexievich Belarus ( Born in the Soviet Union ) Russian `` for her polyphonic writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time '' history, essay 2016 Bob Dylan United States English `` for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition '' poetry, songwriting 2017 Kazuo Ishiguro United Kingdom ( born in Japan ) English `` who, in novels of great emotional force, has uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world '' novel 2018 Postponed until 2019 Nobel laureates by country The 114 Nobel laureates in literature from 1901 to 2017 have come from the following countries : Country Number France 16 United Kingdom 11 United States 11 Germany 8 Sweden 8 Italy 6 Spain 6 Poland 5 Ireland Russia / USSR Denmark Norway Chile China Greece Japan South Africa Switzerland Austria Australia Belarus Belgium Bulgaria Canada Colombia Czechoslovakia Egypt Finland Guatemala Hungary Iceland India Israel Mauritius Mexico Nigeria Peru Portugal Saint Lucia Turkey Yugoslavia One Nobel laureate is classified as stateless ( Ivan Bunin, 1933 ). Nobel laureates by language The 114 Nobel laureates in literature from 1901 to 2017 have written in the following languages : Language Number English 29 ( 32 ) French 14 German 13 Spanish 11 Swedish 7 Italian 6 Russian 6 Polish Danish Norwegian Chinese Greek Japanese Arabic Bengali Czech Finnish Hebrew Hungarian Icelandic Provençal ( Occitan ) Portuguese Serbo - Croatian Turkish Yiddish Rabindranath Tagore ( Nobel Prize in Literature 1913 ) wrote in Bengali and English, Samuel Beckett ( Nobel Prize in Literature 1969 ) wrote in French and English and Joseph Brodsky ( Nobel Prize in Literature 1987 ) wrote poetry in Russian and prose in English. These three Nobel laureates have been sorted under Bengali, French and Russian, respectively. Nobel laureates by sex The 114 Nobel laureates in literature from 1901 to 2017 were from the following sexes : Decade Males Females 1900 -- 1909 9 1910 -- 1919 9 0 1920 -- 1929 8 1930 -- 1939 8 1940 -- 1949 5 1950 -- 1959 10 0 1960 -- 1969 10 1970 -- 1979 11 0 1980 -- 1989 10 0 1990 -- 1999 7 2000 -- 2009 7 2010 -- 2017 6 Total 100 14 References Notes ^ A. The information in the country column is according to nobelprize.org, the official website of the Nobel Foundation. This information may not necessarily reflect the recipient 's birthplace or citizenship. Citations Jump up ^ `` Alfred Nobel -- The Man Behind the Nobel Prize ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 16. Jump up ^ `` The Nobel Prize Awarders ''. Nobel Foundation. Archived from the original on 2008 - 10 - 15. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 16. Jump up ^ `` Winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature Nobel Prize in Literature ''. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2017 - 08 - 24. Jump up ^ `` The Nobel Prize ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 07. Jump up ^ `` The Nobel Prize Award Ceremonies ''. Nobel Foundation. Archived from the original on 2008 - 08 - 22. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 16. ^ Jump up to : `` All Nobel Laureates in Literature ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 16. Jump up ^ Flood, Alison ( 2015 - 01 - 05 ). `` Jean - Paul Sartre rejected Nobel prize in a letter to jury that arrived too late ''. The Guardian. ISSN 0261 - 3077. Retrieved 2017 - 08 - 24. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Laureates Facts ''. Nobel Foundation. Archived from the original on 2007 - 02 - 02. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 16. Jump up ^ `` Bob Dylan removes mention of Nobel prize from website ''. The Guardian. 2016 - 10 - 21. Retrieved 2016 - 11 - 02. Jump up ^ `` Women Nobel Laureates ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 16. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize winners : How many women have won awards ? ''. Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2017 - 08 - 24. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1901 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1902 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1903 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. ^ Jump up to : `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1904 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1905 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1906 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1907 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1908 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1909 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1910 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1911 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1912 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1913 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1915 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1916 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. ^ Jump up to : `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1917 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1919 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1920 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1921 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1922 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1923 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1924 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` George Bernard Shaw Irish dramatist and critic ''. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2018 - 02 - 18. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1925 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1926 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1927 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1928 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1929 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1930 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1931 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1932 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1933 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1934 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1936 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1937 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1938 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1939 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1944 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1945 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1946 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1947 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1948 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1949 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1950 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1951 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1952 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1953 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1954 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1955 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1956 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1957 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1958 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1959 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1960 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1961 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1962 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1963 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1964 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1965 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. ^ Jump up to : `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1966 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1967 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1968 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1969 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1970 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1971 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1972 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1973 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. ^ Jump up to : `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1974 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1975 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1976 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1977 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1978 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1979 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1980 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1981 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1982 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1983 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1984 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1985 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1986 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1987 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1988 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1989 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1990 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1991 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1992 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1993 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1994 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1995 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1996 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1997 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1998 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 1999 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 2000 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 2001 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 2002 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 2003 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 2004 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 2005 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 2006 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 2007 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 2008 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 14 October 2008. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 2009 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 8 October 2009. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 2010 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 7 October 2010. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 2011 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 6 October 2011. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 2012 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 11 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 2013 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 27 January 2013. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 2014 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 24 December 2014. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 2015 ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 8 October 2015. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize in Literature 2016 '' ( PDF ). Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 13 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` The Nobel Prize in Literature 2017 -- Press Release ''. Nobel Prize. Retrieved 5 October 2017. Jump up ^ `` Nobel Prize for Literature postponed amid Swedish Academy turmoil ''. BBC. BBC. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2018. Jump up ^ Number of Nobel Laureates in Literature Sorted in Languages Sources Wikisource has original works on the topic : Nobel Prize in Literature Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nobel laureates in Literature. `` All Nobel Laureates in Literature ''. Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 16. Laureates of the Nobel Prize in Literature 1901 -- 1925 1901 Sully Prudhomme 1902 Theodor Mommsen 1903 Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson 1904 Frédéric Mistral / José Echegaray 1905 Henryk Sienkiewicz 1906 Giosuè Carducci 1907 Rudyard Kipling 1908 Rudolf Eucken 1909 Selma Lagerlöf 1910 Paul Heyse 1911 Maurice Maeterlinck 1912 Gerhart Hauptmann 1913 Rabindranath Tagore 1914 1915 Romain Rolland 1916 Verner von Heidenstam 1917 Karl Gjellerup / Henrik Pontoppidan 1918 1919 Carl Spitteler 1920 Knut Hamsun 1921 Anatole France 1922 Jacinto Benavente 1923 W.B. Yeats 1924 Władysław Reymont 1925 George Bernard Shaw 1926 -- 1950 1926 Grazia Deledda 1927 Henri Bergson 1928 Sigrid Undset 1929 Thomas Mann 1930 Sinclair Lewis 1931 Erik Axel Karlfeldt 1932 John Galsworthy 1933 Ivan Bunin 1934 Luigi Pirandello 1935 1936 Eugene O'Neill 1937 Roger Martin du Gard 1938 Pearl S. Buck 1939 Frans Eemil Sillanpää 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 Johannes V. Jensen 1945 Gabriela Mistral 1946 Hermann Hesse 1947 André Gide 1948 T.S. Eliot 1949 William Faulkner 1950 Bertrand Russell 1951 -- 1975 1951 Pär Lagerkvist 1952 François Mauriac 1953 Winston Churchill 1954 Ernest Hemingway 1955 Halldór Laxness 1956 Juan Ramón Jiménez 1957 Albert Camus 1958 Boris Pasternak 1959 Salvatore Quasimodo 1960 Saint - John Perse 1961 Ivo Andrić 1962 John Steinbeck 1963 Giorgos Seferis 1964 Jean - Paul Sartre ( declined award ) 1965 Mikhail Sholokhov 1966 Shmuel Yosef Agnon / Nelly Sachs 1967 Miguel Ángel Asturias 1968 Yasunari Kawabata 1969 Samuel Beckett 1970 Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 1971 Pablo Neruda 1972 Heinrich Böll 1973 Patrick White 1974 Eyvind Johnson / Harry Martinson 1975 Eugenio Montale 1976 -- 2000 1976 Saul Bellow 1977 Vicente Aleixandre 1978 Isaac Bashevis Singer 1979 Odysseas Elytis 1980 Czesław Miłosz 1981 Elias Canetti 1982 Gabriel García Márquez 1983 William Golding 1984 Jaroslav Seifert 1985 Claude Simon 1986 Wole Soyinka 1987 Joseph Brodsky 1988 Naguib Mahfouz 1989 Camilo José Cela 1990 Octavio Paz 1991 Nadine Gordimer 1992 Derek Walcott 1993 Toni Morrison 1994 Kenzaburō Ōe 1995 Seamus Heaney 1996 Wisława Szymborska 1997 Dario Fo 1998 José Saramago 1999 Günter Grass 2000 Gao Xingjian 2001 -- present 2001 V.S. Naipaul 2002 Imre Kertész 2003 J.M. Coetzee 2004 Elfriede Jelinek 2005 Harold Pinter 2006 Orhan Pamuk 2007 Doris Lessing 2008 J.M.G. Le Clézio 2009 Herta Müller 2010 Mario Vargas Llosa 2011 Tomas Tranströmer 2012 Mo Yan 2013 Alice Munro 2014 Patrick Modiano 2015 Svetlana Alexievich 2016 Bob Dylan 2017 Kazuo Ishiguro Nobel Prizes Lists of Nobel laureates Prizes Chemistry Economics Literature Peace Physics Physiology or Medicine Laureates by subject Chemistry Economics Literature Peace Physics Physiology or Medicine by criterion African Arab Asian Black Female Latino and Hispanic Jewish by country Argentine Australian Belgian Bengali Chinese Danish Hungarian Indian Israeli Italian Japanese Korean Liberian Polish Portuguese Romanian Russian Spanish Swedish Turkish Welsh by religion Christian Jewish Muslim Non-religious by year By year by university affiliation University affiliation by occupation Head of Government and State Committees and organisations Nobel Foundation Nobel Committees Chemistry Economics Physics Physiology or Medicine Norwegian Nobel Committee Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute Related topics Controversies Other prizes Alfred Nobel Nobel Memorial Prize ( not one of the original Nobel Prizes ). Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Nobel_laureates_in_Literature&oldid=849415379 '' Categories : Nobel laureates in Literature Lists of Nobel laureates Hidden categories : Featured lists Talk Contents About Wikipedia Alemannisch অসমীয়া Azərbaycanca বাংলা Башҡортса Català Deutsch Español فارسی 한국어 Հայերեն हिन्दी Ido Ilokano Bahasa Indonesia Interlingua Italiano ქართული Қазақша Кырык мары Latviešu Lëtzebuergesch Magyar Bahasa Melayu မြန်မာဘာသာ Norsk Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ភាសា ខ្មែរ Русский Simple English Slovenčina Suomi தமிழ் Türkçe Українська اردو Tiếng Việt 中文 31 more Edit links This page was last edited on 8 July 2018, at 21 : 04 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who is the first nobel prize winner in literature
Answer: Sully Prudhomme of France