--- description: Why some authors have had mixed feelings about the honor title: Patrick Modiano Wins Nobel Prize for Literature: Why It's Cursed image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt03876ce2d4d37e9e/69875f5f55a859826da83175/france-nobel-literatu_raym.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [History](/section/history/) ## History Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Books](/tag/books/) ## Books Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Patrick Modiano, Beware: The Curse of the Literature Nobel Prize  by [Lily Rothman](/author/lily-rothman/)  ## Lily Rothman Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Rothman is managing editor at TIME. Oct 9, 2014 2:36 PM CUT  French novelist Patrick Modiano poses for a photograph. Patrick Modiano of France has won the 2014 Nobel Prize for Literature. French novelist Patrick Modiano poses for a photograph. Patrick Modiano of France has won the 2014 Nobel Prize for Literature.AP—AP/Gallimard  by [Lily Rothman](/author/lily-rothman/)  ## Lily Rothman Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Rothman is managing editor at TIME. Oct 9, 2014 2:36 PM CUT Patrick Modiano is probably feeling pretty good right now. It was [announced](http://time.com/3484324/patrick-modiano-nobel-prize/ "undefined") Thursday morning that the French author had beat out [bet-makers’ favorites](http://time.com/3481586/murakami-adonis-nobel-prize-literature-odds-ladbrokes/ "undefined") like Haruki Murakami to become the latest winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. But that warm, fuzzy feeling may not last. As TIME [reported](http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/printout/0,8816,987689,00.html "undefined") back in 1998, the Nobel for literature has a mixed reputation — one that some would go so far as to call a curse. Even for those writers who receive the prize while still at the height of their careers, the burst of worldwide fame that it brings can actually contribute to a decrease in artistic output. As TIME explained: --- > “” --- But as for Modiano, he may have an edge when it comes to avoiding the curse. The BBC [reports](http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-29553516 "undefined") that the author has lots of practice staying away from the press and others who want a piece of his time and privacy — in fact, he’s so good at it that the Nobel Academy was unable to get the good news to him before the rest of the world found out too. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3484572/patrick-modiano-nobel-curse/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3484572/patrick-modiano-nobel-curse/"},"headline":"Patrick Modiano, Beware: The Curse of the Literature Nobel Prize","datePublished":"2014-10-09T14:36:37.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T10:41:07.297Z","description":"Why some authors have had mixed feelings about the honor","url":"https://time.com/3484572/patrick-modiano-nobel-curse/","keywords":["Books","Literature","nobel prize"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt03876ce2d4d37e9e/69875f5f55a859826da83175/france-nobel-literatu_raym.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Lily Rothman","jobTitle":"Rothman is managing editor at TIME.","url":"https://time.com/author/lily-rothman/"}],"articleSection":"History","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt03876ce2d4d37e9e/69875f5f55a859826da83175/france-nobel-literatu_raym.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"France Nobel Literature","caption":"French novelist Patrick Modiano poses for a photograph. Patrick Modiano of France has won the 2014 Nobel Prize for Literature.","creditText":"AP—AP/Gallimard","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/history/","name":"History"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/books/","name":"Books"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3484572/patrick-modiano-nobel-curse/","name":"Patrick Modiano, Beware: The Curse of the Literature Nobel Prize"}}]}] ```