Art, truth and politics

Guardian Unlimited Books | Special Reports | Art, truth and politics

I've never been a big fan of Harold Pinter's work. I think I was put off by the long silences and the way my youthful mind failed to connect with the spirit of the 60s - at least while it was still the 60s.

But this acceptance speech, given by Harold Pinter on receiving the Nobel Prize for Literature, is compelling. It's powerful in that it eloquently exposes how the United States has abused its power. It is also an inspiring insight into the development of Pinter's writing.

On screen the article looks long. It's worth reading it to the end. Print it out if it helps. Whatever you do; read it. Let this extract tease you to read it all.

"The crimes of the United States have been systematic, constant, vicious, remorseless, but very few people have actually talked about them. You have to hand it to America. It has exercised a quite clinical manipulation of power worldwide while masquerading as a force for universal good. It's a brilliant, even witty, highly successful act of hypnosis."