Photo ReutersBob Dylan, regarded as the voice of a generation for his songs from the 1960s onward, has won the Nobel Prize for Literature in a surprise decision that made him the only singer-songwriter to win the award. The 75-year-old Dylan, who won the prize for "having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition," joins Winston Churchill, Thomas Mann and Rudyard Kipling as Nobel literature laureates. The decision angered some writers who complained that by honoring one of the world's most celebrated musicians the Swedish Academy missed an opportunity to bring attention to lesser-known artists. Awarding the 8 million Swedish crown ($US928,000) prize, the Swedish Academy said: "Dylan has the status of an icon. Swedish Academy member Per Wastberg said: "He is probably the greatest living poet."

Source: Otago Daily Times October 13, 2016 17:15 UTC