ALEKSANDAR HEMON WINS INAUGURAL LITERARY PRIZE
From nearly 40 submissions down to one, the jury for the first ever St. Francis College Literary Prize has selected Aleksandar Hemon for his book,
Love and Obstacles (Riverhead Books) as the winner of the $50,000 award, one of the richest Literary Prizes in the United States. Hemon, raised in Sarajevo and now residing in Chicago wrote his first work in English in 1995. He was awarded the prize at the Gala Opening Night Party of the Brooklyn Book Festival on September 12. Hemon was selected over the other short list authors: Chris Abani,
Song For Night (Akashic Books); Jim Krusoe,
Girl Factory (Tin House Books) and Arthur Phillips,
The Song Is You (Random House).
“I was going to quit after this book now it turns out I'm mid-career,” said Hemon in his short, modest and humorous acceptance speech. “Thank you all for coming tonight and exposing me to this embarrassing pleasure. I will keep writing, I guess I have no other choice.” (
Watch the whole speech below)
The St. Francis College Literary Prize is meant to offer encouragement and significant financial support to a mid-career writer.
Read the press release
Inquiries can be made via email at:
imaloney@stfranciscollege.edu
Plans are now being made for Hemon to return to campus in the Fall 2009 to deliver a talk on his work and read selections from the book submitted. He will also teach a short mini-workshop in fiction to qualified students at St. Francis College. The decision of the jury is final.
Jury: Michael Chabon, Heidi Julavits, Jonathan Lethem, Ben Marcus, and Ayelet Waldman
Video and Performance Artist Toni Dove Sponsored by:
The Humanities Division and the Department of International Cultural Studies
Interactive cinema artist Toni Dove will talk about and show clips from her work: technologically sophisticated hybrids of film, installation art, and experimental theater. The narratives of her works, which Dove has been producing since the early 1990s, proceed only with the participation of viewers and live performers who activate characters through motion, voice, and robotics.
Dove has performed widely in the United States and abroad. She is the recipient of numerous awards and grants, including support from the Rockefeller Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Eugene McDermott Award in the Arts from M.I.T.
Sarajevo Native Aleksandar Hemon delivers his brief and modest acceptance speech after winning the inaugural $50,000 St. Francis College Literary Prize.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is it an annual award?
The SFC Literary Prize will be a biannual prize. It will be offered again in 2011.
What are the publication dates for eligible books?
Currently the jury will consider books published from January 2008 until July 2009.
What about self-published books?
Self-published books will be considered for award consideration.
Are translated books eligible?
Yes, works in English translation will be considered.
Can the book include previously published material?
Yes.
When will you announce the award?
A short list will be announced in mid-August. The winner will be announced at the Brooklyn Book Festival on September 13, 2009.
Is this a permanent jury?
The jury is only for this award cycle.