The World's Most Prestigious Prize

This is a fascinating book by the former director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute giving the inside story of the Nobel Peace Prize from its inception in the will of Alfred Nobel until the present day. There is a full list of laureates dating from the award of the first prize in 1901 and an analysis of emerging themes for which awards have been made - attempts to render war obsolete, humanitarian undertakings, human rights, disarmament and the environment. The author analyses why the prize been so successful and its influence on behalf of laureates such as Mohammed Yunus and Lech Walesa. There are also distinctive historical periods covering the influence of the League of Nations and the United Nations, with the latter's agencies winning a number of prizes. There are behind-the-scenes vignettes, for instance surrounding Gorbachev, who is also one of 10 portraits in a separate section, including the hugely deserving Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama. The committee consists of five Norwegian parliamentarians and one can appreciate through this book how they have attempted to push the envelope in various respects. The author admits that the lack of a prize for Gandhi is perhaps the greatest omission, although at the time there were diplomatic ties with Britain to be considered. Another person who might have been a laureate is Andrew Carnegie, who spent $25 million in the money of the time on peace projects, including special awards and the Peace Palace in The Hague. This is altogether a unique insight into the prize that makes compelling reading.