Alice Munro, Nobel Prize in Literature

The Nobel Prize in Literature 2013 was awarded to 82 year-old Canadian Alice Munro, "master of the contemporary short story." Earlier this year she had announced her intention to retire. Munro, however, did not attend the ceremony, which took place earlier this month (Dec 10), due to health reasons. Her acceptance speech was substituted with the video interview below. Watch the first five minutes to learn about the significance of The Little Mermaid in her career.

Transcript

For basic information about the writer, read the top 10 things you need to know about her, according to The Guardian. You can also see this New York Times slide show. If you want more, read this profile.

To get a taste of Munro's writing, here's a link to one of her stories published online:

Amundsen (The New Yorker, August 27, 2012)

These collections are available at our library:

• Lives of Girls and Women (1971)
• Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage (2001)

Best books of 2013

We're nearing the end of the year and lists of best everything are popping up like mushrooms. As for books, I'll refer to a couple.

The Guardian publishes different lists according to genre or subject matter (the best books about the English language, for example). Check out their choice for best fiction.

The New York Times publishes keeps track of the best-selling books all through the year, the reference list for the industry. Their list of best books of the year is shorter, as it combines fiction and non-fiction. You can read it here, complete with a video.

There are a few coincidences: Rachel Kushner's The Flamethrowers, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah, and Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch. 

Finally, I'll also mention NPR's list because of its originality. It also includes The Goldfinch and Americanah, so these two are sure bets. Take a look here.

PS.-  (22 December) Americanah and The Flame Throwers are also at the top of the BBC list. 

NIKOLAUSTAG

Der Nikolaus, der am 6. Dezember Geschenke verteilt, erinnert uns an den Bischof Nikolaus. Er lebte im 4. Jahrhundert in Myra in Kleinasien (heute Türkei).

Einmal, so erzählt die Legende, hatten die Menschen in Myra nichts zu essen. Als die Schiffe mit dem Getreide endlich ankamen, wurden sie von Piraten angegriffen. Die Seeräuber sagten den Leuten aus Myra: „Gebt uns ein Schiff voll mit Gold. Dann werdet ihr eure Schiffe mit dem Getreide bekommen." Die Leute gaben allen Schmuck. Es reichte nicht, um das Boot zu füllen. Jetzt wollte der Kapitän der Piraten für das fehlende Gold die Kinder als Sklaven mitnehmen. Da gab der Bischof Nikolaus den Piraten den ganzen Schatz der Kirche. Die Piraten waren zufrieden und segelten mit ihren Schiffen weg. Die Schiffe mit dem Getreide konnten in den Hafen fahren. Die Leute von Myra waren gerettet.

Deshalb gilt der Heilige Nikolaus als Freund der Kinder. Der Nikolaustag wird am 6. Dezember gefeiert.