Desolation row

A member of the academy which awards the Nobel literature prize slammed this year’s laureate Bob Dylan as arrogant on Friday, citing his total silence since the award was announced on Oct 13.

The US singer-songwriter has not responded to repeated phone calls from the Swedish Academy, nor reacted in any way in public to the news. “It’s impolite and arrogant,” said the academy member, Swedish writer Per Wastberg, in comments aired on SVT public television.

On the evening the prize was announced, Dylan played a concert in Las Vegas during which he just sang his songs and made no comment at all to his fans. He ended the concert with a version of the Frank Sinatra hit Why Try To Change Me Now?