Alice Munro wins 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature

The Canadian writer Alice Munro won the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature, announced Peter Englund, permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, on Thursday.

Munro, 82, is the 13th woman to win the award. The jury of the Nobel Prize commented Munro as "master of the contemporary short story." She is acclaimed for her finely tuned storytelling, which is characterized by clarity and psychological realism, said the Swedish Academy in a statement.

Munro has published many collections including "Who Do You Think You Are?" (1978), "The Moons of Jupiter" (1982), "Runaway" (2004), "The View from Castle Rock" (2006) and "Too Much Happiness" (2009).

"Her stories are often set in small town environments, where the struggle for a socially acceptable existence often results in strained relationships and moral conflicts -- problems that stem from generational differences and colliding life ambitions," the Academy said.

Last year's Nobel literature prize went to Chinese writer Mo Yan.