The Nobel Lecture in Literature, 2003

by J.M. Coetzee

A beautiful collector's edition of J. M. Coetzee's Nobel Prize lecture

In his acceptance speech for the 2003 Nobel Prize in Literature, J. M. Coetzee delivered an intriguing and enigmatic short story, "He and His Man." The story features Robinson Crusoe, long after his return from the island, reflecting on death and spectacle, writing and allegory, solitude and sociability, as he searches his mind for some true understanding of the "man" who writes of and for him. In the spare and powerful prose for which Coetzee is renowned, The Nobel Lecture in Literature, 2003 is a provocative testament to the uncompromising vision of one of the world's most profound writers.

Genres: Nonfiction, South Africa, Short Stories

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

J. M. Coetzee is a South African writer, essayist, and translator, widely regarded as one of the most influential authors of contemporary literature. His works, often characterized by their austere prose and profound moral and philosophical depth, explore themes of colonialism, identity, power, and human suffering. Born and raised in South Africa, he later became an Australian citizen and has lived in Adelaide since 2002.
Coetzee’s breakthrough novel, Waiting for the Barbarians (1980), established him as a major literary voice, while Life & Times of Michael K (1983) won him the first of his two Booker Prizes. His best-known work, Disgrace (1999), a stark and unsettling examination of post-apartheid South Africa, secured his second Booker Prize, making him the first author to win the award twice. His other notable novels include Foe, Age of Iron, The Master of Petersburg, Elizabeth Costello, and The Childhood of Jesus, many of which incorporate allegorical and metafictional elements.
Beyond fiction, Coetzee has written numerous essays and literary critiques, contributing significantly to discussions on literature, ethics, and history. His autobiographical trilogy—Boyhood, Youth, and Summertime—blends memoir with fiction, offering a fragmented yet insightful reflection on his own life. His literary achievements were recognized with the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2003.
A deeply private individual, Coetzee avoids public life and rarely gives interviews, preferring to let his work speak for itself.

Reviews

[Helga · Rating 5 out of 5]

He was cast up all alone on a savage island, likely to perish and with no hope of salvation.

The 2003 Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to J. M. Coetzee, “who in innumerable guises portrays the surprising involvement of the outsider."
...and of the dark side of the soul and the light.

You are not alone, said the sign; and also, no matter how far you sail, no matter where you hide, you will be searched out.

Far from delivering a run-of-the-mill lecture, Coetzee lets the fictional Robinson Crusoe , now an old man living in Bristol along with his faithful but dead and stuffed parrot and his parasol, do the honors.

[Marwan Hamed · Rating 4 out of 5]

awesome .
he is very intelligent

[David Partikian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, elegant and sparse meditation in the guise of a short story. Coetzee’s infatuation with Robinson Crusoe, first manifested in his novel Foe (1986), is resuscitated in the author’s Nobel Prize Lecture (2003). The lecture is remarkable for being both enigmatic and—most pleasing of all—completely free of any didacticism. Skip Foe and read the pithy parable.

[Elmin Ağahəsənli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cənubi Afrika yazıçısının 2003-ci il Nobel nitqi.Yazıçı Daniel Defo'nun " Robinzon Kruzo "əsərinə müraciət edir.Bu çıxış " O və onun nökəri "adlanır.Kutzee Robinlə Cümənin adadan qurtulduqdan sonrakı münasibətlərindən bəhs edir.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES.

[Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating

[Marcus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coetzee uses his lecture spot for the Nobel Prize to get out another short story. He imagines the future life of Robinson Crusoe and a man who writes to him with news of his travels.