Name: Harold Pinter
Year Won: 2005
Read: Death, etc.
Original Language: English
Reason: "who in his plays uncovers the precipice under everyday prattle and forces entry into oppression's closed rooms"
About: Death, etc. is a collection of poetry, essays, and plays all focusing on Pinter's clear dislike of the Iraq war.
What I liked: Pinter has an interesting way of blending the real with the surreal which is quite fascinating. A scene will go from very realistic, to very unrealistic in a way that's quite intriguing. I also like how he creates unusual and peculair metaphors in a stage form.
What I Disliked: This is so, so, so heavy handed. I hated the Iraq war too, but dude, if you want to convince people who aren't already on your side, a lighter touch goes a looong way. Some of this was so heavy handed that it almost struck me as something that belonged, in all caps, on a punk 'zine.
Should it have won a Nobel: I don't think this was what Pinter won for, so it's probably not really relevant. He is a solid writer, though, and I can see that if he used those talents in a somewhat lighter way, definitely.
Next Up: "Museum of Innocence" by Orhan Pamuk
