Here are five things to know about the Nobel Literature Prize. 350 nominations each yearIn his 1895 last will and testament, Swedish scientist and philanthropist Alfred Nobel tasked the Swedish Academy with awarding the Nobel Literature Prize each year. Each year, the institution receives around 350 nominations submitted by former Nobel literature laureates, members of other countries' equivalent academies, literature professors, and the heads of national writers' associations. Swedish author Selma Lagerlof, known for folktales and legends about her country, was the first woman to win the award in 1909. But according to AFP's tally, French nationals take the gold medal for the most Nobel Literature Prizes with 15 laureates, including the first one ever awarded, to Sully Prudhomme in 1901.

Source: The Local September 29, 2018 12:45 UTC