All the Women Nobel Prize Winners in Literature

The Nobel Prize in Literature is one of the most prestigious awards in the literary world, given annually to authors who have produced outstanding contributions to literature.

The prize has historically been dominated by men and as of 2025, only 18 out of 121 recipients so far have been women. And actually, upon researching this list, I found I wasn’t familiar with many of the names.

So, this International Women’s Day, let’s look at all the women who have won the Nobel Prize for Literature, the year they were awarded and why, as well as their most well-known works.

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1. Selma Lagerlöf (Sweden) – 1909

“in appreciation of the lofty idealism, vivid imagination and spiritual perception that characterize her writings.”

Selma Lagerlöf was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1909. A Swedish author and educator, she was known for her deep connection to Swedish folklore and mythology. Her works often explore themes of love, faith, and human compassion.

Notable Works:

• The Wonderful Adventures of Nils (1906)
• Gösta Berling’s Saga (1891)

Her captivating tale of Nils, a mischievous boy who travels across Sweden with wild geese, is beloved around the world and remains one of her most famous works.

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2. Grazia Deledda (Italy) – 1926

“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.”

Grazia Deledda was an Italian novelist and poet, awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1926. She was known for her powerful depictions of life in Sardinia, focusing on themes of tradition, isolation, and human struggles.

Notable Works:

• Reeds in the Wind (1913)
• Elias Portolu (1900)

Her vivid portrayals of rural life in Sardinia earned her recognition, and her works offer deep insights into the complexities of Italian culture and tradition.

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3. Sigrid Undset (Norway) – 1928

“principally for her powerful descriptions of Northern life during the Middle Ages.”

Sigrid Undset, a Norwegian author, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1928. She is best known for her historical novels set in medieval Norway, and her deep exploration of human emotions, relationships, and religious themes.

Notable Works:

• Kristin Lavransdatter (1920-1922)
• The Master of Hestviken (1927)

Undset’s trilogy Kristin Lavransdatter is regarded as a masterpiece of Norwegian literature, offering an in-depth look at the life of a woman in medieval Norway.

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4. Pearl S. Buck (United States) – 1938

“for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China and for her biographical masterpieces.”

Pearl S. Buck, an American author born in China, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1938 for her rich portrayals of Chinese life and culture. Her novels often explore themes of social justice, personal freedom, and the impact of cultural conflicts.

Notable Works:

• The Good Earth (1931)

The Good Earth, a trilogy which tells the story of a poor Chinese farmer’s rise to wealth, is her most famous and widely acclaimed work.

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5. Gabriela Mistral (Chile) – 1945

“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.”

Gabriela Mistral was the first Latin American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1945. A Chilean poet, educator, and diplomat, Mistral’s poetry reflects deep emotional themes of love, sorrow, and loss.

Notable Works:

• Desolación (1922)
• Ternura (1924)

Her deeply moving works focus on human emotions, particularly motherhood, and she became a symbol of Latin American literary excellence.

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6. Nelly Sachs (Germany/Sweden) – 1966

“for her outstanding lyrical and dramatic writing, which interprets Israel’s destiny with touching strength.”

Nelly Sachs was a German-Jewish poet who fled to Sweden during World War II. She won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1966 (shared with Shmuel Yosef Agnon) for her haunting poetry and plays that deal with the horrors of the Holocaust and themes of exile, loss, and spiritual rebirth.

Notable Works:

• Eli: Ein Mysterienspiel vom Leiden Israels (1950)
• Collections of poetry In den Wohnungen des Todes (1947), Flucht und Verwandlung (1959), Fahrt ins Staublose (1961), and Suche nach Lebenden (1971)

Her emotional, expressive poetry, deeply influenced by her experiences during and after the Holocaust, continues to resonate with readers worldwide.

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7. Nadine Gordimer (South Africa) – 1991

“who through her magnificent epic writing has – in the words of Alfred Nobel – been of very great benefit to humanity.”

Nadine Gordimer, a South African writer, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1991 for her profound and complex depictions of life during apartheid. Her works focus on the injustices of racial segregation and the complexity of life in a divided society.

Notable Works:

• Burger’s Daughter (1979)
• July’s People (1981)

Her stories of racial tension, human resilience, and complex personal relationships earned her global recognition as a leading voice in anti-apartheid literature.

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8. Toni Morrison (United States) – 1993

“who in novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import, gives life to an essential aspect of American reality.”

Toni Morrison, one of America’s most iconic authors, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993. Her works often focus on the African American experience, exploring themes of race, identity, and the legacy of slavery.

Notable Works:

• Beloved (1987)
• Song of Solomon (1977)

Beloved, a deeply emotional story about the trauma of slavery and the quest for freedom, remains one of her most celebrated and important works.

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9. Wisława Szymborska (Poland) – 1996

“for poetry that with ironic precision allows the historical and biological context to come to light in fragments of human reality.”

Wisława Szymborska, a Polish poet and essayist, received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1996. She is known for her reflective, thought-provoking poetry that explores human existence, philosophy, and the absurdities of life.

Notable Works:

• View with a Grain of Sand (1995)
• Map: Collected and Last Poems (2016)

Her witty and sometimes ironic reflections on life, death, and history make her one of the most important poets of the 20th century.

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10. Elfriede Jelinek (Austria) – 2004

“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.”

Elfriede Jelinek, an Austrian novelist and playwright, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2004. Her works are known for their critique of social norms, particularly regarding gender, sexuality, and power structures.

Notable Works:

• The Piano Teacher (1983)
• Lust (1989)

Jelinek’s work, particularly The Piano Teacher, explores the complexities of power dynamics in intimate relationships, often highlighting the dark side of human nature.

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11. Doris Lessing (United Kingdom) – 2007

“that epicist of the female experience, who with scepticism, fire and visionary power has subjected a divided civilisation to scrutiny.”

Doris Lessing, born in Persia (now Iran), was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2007. She is best known for her politically charged and intellectually rigorous novels, which address themes of social change, gender equality, and personal identity.

Notable Works:

• The Golden Notebook (1962)
• The Grass is Singing (1950)

Her groundbreaking novel The Golden Notebook explores the struggles of a woman attempting to reconcile her personal and political identities, earning it a place as a feminist classic.

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12. Herta Müller (Germany/Romania) – 2009

“who, with the concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose, depicts the landscape of the dispossessed.”

Herta Müller, a Romanian-born German author, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2009. She was recognized for her poetry and prose that address themes of oppression, exile, and the complexity of life under dictatorship.

Notable Works:

• The Land of Green Plums (1994)
• The Hunger Angel (2009)

Her works, often drawn from her own experiences under Romania’s Communist regime, highlight the struggles of individuals in totalitarian states.

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13. Alice Munro (Canada) – 2013

“master of the contemporary short story”

Alice Munro, a Canadian short story writer, received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013. She is praised for her ability to capture the subtle intricacies of human relationships and the complexities of life, especially in small-town Canada.

Notable Works:

• Dear Life (2012)
• Dance of the Happy Shades (1968)

Her collection Dear Life explores the complexities of personal experiences and human emotions, cementing her status as a master of the short story.

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14. Svetlana Alexievich (Belarus) – 2015

“for her polyphonic writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time.”

Svetlana Alexievich, a Belarusian journalist and writer, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2015 for her non-fiction works that chronicle the emotional impact of historical events on ordinary people, particularly in post-Soviet countries.

Notable Works:

• Voices from Chernobyl (1997)
• Second-Hand Time (2013)

Her oral histories provide unique insights into the human cost of war, disaster, and political change, with Voices from Chernobyl being one of her most influential works.

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15. Olga Tokarczuk (Poland) – 2018

“for a narrative imagination that with encyclopedic passion represents the crossing of boundaries as a form of life.”

Olga Tokarczuk, a Polish author, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2018. She is recognized for her poetic and philosophical prose that often explores themes of history, human experience, and the intersection of cultures.

Notable Works:

• Flights (2007)
• The Books of Jacob (2014)

Flights, which examines the theme of travel and the human condition, won the Booker International Prize and brought Tokarczuk international acclaim.

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16. Louise Glück (United States) – 2020

“for her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal.”

Louise Glück, an American poet, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2020 for her distinctive voice in contemporary poetry. Her works are characterized by emotional depth and a deep connection to myth, nature, and human experience.

Notable Works:

• The Wild Iris (1992)
• Meadowlands (1996)

Her poetry, often introspective and meditative, explores the inner workings of the human psyche, particularly themes of loss and renewal.

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17. Annie Ernaux (France) – 2022

“for the courage and clinical acuity with which she uncovers the roots, estrangements and collective restraints of personal memory.”

Annie Ernaux, a French writer, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2022. Known for her autobiographical works, Ernaux’s writing is celebrated for its precise and candid examination of memory, identity, and social dynamics.

Notable Works:

• The Years (2008)
• A Man’s Place (1983)

The Years blends personal reflection with social history, earning Ernaux widespread acclaim for her introspective and poignant style.

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18. Han Kang (South Korea) – 2024

“for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life.”

Han Kang, a South Korean author, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024 for her haunting and surreal novels that delve into themes of human nature, trauma, and the consequences of political oppression.

Notable Works:

• The Vegetarian (2007)
• Human Acts (2014)

The Vegetarian, which explores the psychological and physical consequences of one woman’s decision to give up meat, earned her international acclaim for its bold and disturbing narrative.

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These women have all shaped the literary world in profound ways, each bringing a unique perspective, voice, and vision to their craft. Their works continue to inspire and engage readers around the globe, making them some of the most celebrated authors in history.

While we can only hope that there’s more of a gender balance in Nobel Laureates moving forward (and definitely more of a balance when it comes to race, nationality and language), at least I now have a load more interesting reads to add to my list.

More Fantastic Books & Where to Find Them

For more of what to read where, check out my full Travel Books Guide, filled with book recommendations for different destinations, the most beautiful bookstores around the world, tips on how to get the best deals on audiobooks and e-books, as well as more literary travel.