Louise Erdrich Wins Dayton Literary Peace Prize

Shelf Awareness

photo: Paul Emmel

Congratulations to Louise Erdrich, acclaimed author and owner of Birchbark Books & Native Arts, Minneapolis, Minn., for being named winner of Dayton Literary Peace Prize's Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award. The Associated Press noted that the Dayton prizes "are meant to recognize literature's power to foster peace, social justice and global understanding, and the distinguished achievement award is given for body of work." She will receive the award November 9 in Dayton.

In a statement, Erdrich said she does not consider herself a "peaceful" writer, but "a troubled one, longing for peace."

Sharon Rab, founder and co-chairwoman of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation, said Erdrich's writings "show the United States shares a history of violence, discrimination and neglect with other countries clashing over culture, religion and ancient territorial claims," the AP wrote.

"Her work reminds us that we are not observers but participants in the national history of the ownership of land and the taking of territory," Rab added.

Erdrich observed that the prize "sends a strong political signal, more crucial than ever at this historical moment when we are seeing, day by day, the horrific violence children suffer in war."