Belarusian author Svetlana Alexievich has won the Nobel Prize for Literature "for her polyphonic writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time," the Swedish Academy said on Thursday in awarding the 8 million crown ($972,000) prize.

Literature was the fourth of this year's Nobel prizes. The prize is named after dynamite inventor Alfred Nobel and has been awarded since 1901 for achievements in science, literature and peace in accordance with his will. ($1 = 8.2294 Swedish crowns)