Publisher hails Swedish poet’s Nobel

“It’s miraculous, it’s like a dream! It’s like being told you have become a father again!”, said Axelsson.

Bonniers publishing house has raised high hopes for an award like this several times, but has always been let down, explains Axelsson. And it wasn’t just Bonniers Publishing that celebrated, staff and customers at Akademibokhandeln in Stockholm also rejoiced when hearing the good news.

Customers at the largest bookstore in Stockholm have been keen readers of Tranströmer for a long time and he is a popular writer. One customer, Gunnel Alkestrand, had heard the news on the radio and went straight to the shop to buy a copy of his works.

“I was really happy when I heard he had been awarded. He writes very well and it is great to be able to understand all the tones in his language”, says Alkestrand.

Henrik Lundin is Manager of fiction at Akademibokhandeln, is in no doubt that Tranströmer’s works will sell out more than ever now.

“He is the most dynamic poet that there is”, said Lundin.