Let's Get Reading: Newsletter 68

“The first thing a young writer sets out to do is to show his readers that he possesses a dictionary.” – Jorge Luis Borges

Nobel Prize Win? What a drag.

I hate to generalise, but I think it’s fair to say that most people like winning prizes. Maybe they aren’t so fussed about the reward, or they aren’t all that competitive and don’t care too much. However, I think you’d be hard-pressed to track down someone who, when told they’re being recognised for the world-class quality of their work, is totally disinterested.

Except, as it turns out, for the following Reuters correspondent, who, in 2007 was tasked with interviewing British author Doris Lessing about her Nobel Prize win. Not only was the writer not aware she had won – the journalist in fact breaking the news to her – but seems to have been totally, hilariously disinterested in the whole thing. Check out this incredible bit of footage from that fateful day. I’m so glad this was caught on camera!