Bob Dylan has made it very clear that he doesn't really give fuck about his Nobel Prize in Literature. Sure, it's one of the most prestigious awards on the planet that would place him among the likes of Toni Morrison, Samuel Beckett, Jean-Paul Sartre, John Steinbeck, and Ernest Hemingway, but that's of no interest to Dylan. He's a man who's never much concerned himself with silly things like awards or other people's opinions. That he's one of the most respected lyricists of modern music is of no interest to Dylan.
So he's not going to show up to the Nobel Prize Ceremony in Stockholm on December 10 to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. As the Associated Press reports, Dylan "wishes he could receive the prize personally, but other commitments make it unfortunately impossible."
He underscored, once again, that he feels very honored indeed, wishing that he could receive the prize in person. That laureates decide not to come is unusual, to be sure, but not exceptional. "In the recent past, several laureates have, for various reasons, been unable to come to Stockholm to receive the prize," the Academy press release said. "We look forward to Bob Dylan's Nobel Lecture, which he must give—it is the only requirement—within six months counting from December 10, 2016."
What exactly "is the only requirement" means is unclear at this point, but the Academy noted it would send out more information this Friday.
