Nobel Prize in literature: Oh really? Or finally?

FILE - In this Thursday Oct. 11, 2012, file photo, Peter Englund, permanent secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy, arrives to announce the winner of the Nobel Prize in literature, in Stockholm. Thursday Oct. 9, 2014 is the festive day of the year for highbrow culture when the winner of the Nobel Prize in literature is revealed. The secretive academy drops no hints on who they consider, but Permanent Secretary Peter Englund has said this year’s long-list started with 210 nominees, including 36 first-timers. (AP Photo/TT News Agency, Fredrik Sandberg, File) FILE - In this Thursday Oct. 11, 2012, file photo, Peter Englund, permanent secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy, arrives to announce the winner of the Nobel Prize in literature, in Stockholm. Thursday Oct. 9, 2014 is the festive day of the year for highbrow culture when the winner of the Nobel Prize in literature is revealed. The secretive academy drops no hints on who they consider, but Permanent Secretary Peter Englund has said this year’s long-list started with 210 nominees, including 36 first-timers. (AP Photo/TT News Agency, Fredrik Sandberg, File)

By Associated Press October 4, 2014 3 min read

STOCKHOLM (AP) – It’s soon time for the highbrow culture event of the year: the Nobel Prize in literature. But don’t worry if you are left scratching your head when the winner is announced.

While the Swedish Academy sometimes picks well-known authors long lauded by critics, just as frequently it surprises the world with unknowns plucked from obscurity. The secretive academy drops no hints on who they are considering but Permanent Secretary Peter Englund said this year’s long-list started with 210 nominees, including 36 first-timers.

The academy is expected to announce the winner on Thursday, but has not yet confirmed the date.

Here’s a look at the potential surprises and the old-time favorites:

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