Swedish Academy defends Peter Handke`s controversial Nobel win
(The Guardian Books News)

Members behind decision to award Austrian writer the prize in literature say he will be seen as an `obvious choice´ in 50 yearsThe Swedish Academy has defended its controversial choice of Peter Handke as this year´s Nobel literature laureate, saying that it had `obviously not intended to reward a war criminal and denier of war crimes or genocide. But that´s the impression you get in the media right now.`Writing in the Swedish paper Dagens Nyheter, academy members Mats Malm and Eric M Runesson admitted that Handke had `definitely made provocative, inappropriate and unclear statements on political issues`, according to a translation by the BBC. But they said that they had `found nothing in what he has written that involves attacks on civil society or respect for the equal value of all people`, and asked: `What we wonder is what sources the critics used and why Handke´s own statements are ignored.` Related: `A troubling choice`: authors criticise Peter Handke`s controversial Nobel win Continue reading...