Peter Handke (b.1942) is an Austrian novelist, playwright, poet, and screenwriter known for his avant-garde literary style and exploration of human experience. One of the most original German-language writers of the 20th and 21st centuries, he received the 2019 Nobel Prize in Literature for his influential work.
Born in Griffen, Austria, he studied law at the University of Graz before pursuing writing. He gained prominence with Offending the Audience (1966,) which challenged theatrical conventions. His novel The Goalie’s Anxiety at the Penalty Kick (1970) is a psychological thriller, while A Sorrow Beyond Dreams (1972) reflects on his mother’s life and suicide.
Handke’s works often explore alienation and perception, including The Left-Handed Woman (1976,) Slow Homecoming (1979,) and Crossing the Sierra de Gredos (2002.) His collaboration with Wim Wenders led to screenplays for The Wrong Move (1975) and Wings of Desire (1987.)
Despite his literary acclaim, Handke faced controversy for supporting Serbian nationalism during the Yugoslav Wars. His later works, The Great Fall (2011) and The Fruit Thief (2017,) continue his introspective style.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Peter Handke
If a nation loses its storytellers, it loses its childhood.
—Peter Handke
Topics: Writing, Authors & Writing, Writers
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