Dylan says yes

As a writer of 11 published novels www.donnalanenelson.com I don't expect to ever get the Nobel Prize for literature.

It's okay. Even if I sneak socially-important subjects into my work, I am in awe of those whose work far exceeds mine. It is not false modesty.

When Bob Dylan won this year's prize I was a bit taken back.

Granted I listened and loved his music during the 60s especially his anti-war music, although I thought Phil Ochs, who died too young at 35, was the better of the two both in content and melody.

I saw Dylan in concert a couple of years back and was less impressed with his more recent music and his lack of presentation skills, but still he was a social phenomena and he did things with words that are remarkable.

His silence after the prize was announced bothered me, but he finally said yes.

Writers of anything do not owe the outside world anything but their work. Doris Lessing who was less than gracious on the receipt of her award. When she heard she said, "Oh Christ...I couldn't care less."

However, being given a Nobel, is something spectacular no matter what.