Acclaimed Writer Margaret Atwood Named Recipient of 2017 St. Louis Literary Award
The Saint Louis University Library Associates has selected acclaimed writer Margaret Atwood as the recipient of the 2017 St. Louis Literary Award.
In a career spanning more than fifty years, Margaret Atwood has demonstrated a remarkable literary range in moving seamlessly from genre to genre.
Atwood is best known for her works of fiction, including The Handmaid’s Tale, Cat’s Eye, and Oryx and Crake. Atwood’s most recent novel, Hag-Seed, is a retelling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest and has received outstanding reviews.
Atwood has written numerous books of poetry, including The Journals of Susanna Moodie, The Circle Game, The Door, and several volumes of selected poems. Atwood’s nonfiction works include Negotiating with the Dead: A Writer on Writing and Moving Targets: Writing with Intent: Essays, Reviews, Personal Prose 1983-2005.
Born in Ottawa, Margaret Atwood is a native of Toronto and has received significant honors over her long career, including the Booker Prize, Magazine Woman of the Year, Arthur C. Clarke Award for Best Science Fiction, the PEN Pinter Award, and the Canadian Booksellers’ Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2017, Atwood will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Book Critics Circle.
“We believe that Margaret Atwood deserves to be part of the Pantheon of writers who have received the St. Louis Literary Award because her incredible body of work has played such an intimate role in the cultural fabric of our country. Ms. Atwood’s collective body of prose and poetry makes her the perfect choice to receive the award in 2017,” noted Edward Scott Ibur, chair of the Literary Award Selection Committee.
Ms. Atwood’s collective body of prose and poetry makes her the perfect choice to receive the award in 2017."
Edward Scott Ibur, chair of the Literary Award Selection Committee
With its 50-year list of illustrious winners, the St. Louis Literary Award has become one of the most prestigious literary awards in the country. Lana Pepper, president of the Board of the Library Associates, observed, “The St. Louis Literary Award has become an important civic asset and a substantial contribution each year to the cultural and artistic life of St. Louis. The award recognizes writers who have deepened our insights into the essential human condition in ways that only great literature can.”
The award ceremony and conversation with the author is planned for the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 19, at The Sheldon Concert Hall. Additional information on the program and registration will be made available on the Saint Louis University Library Associates website.
One of the oldest literary and cultural organizations in St. Louis, the Saint Louis University Library Associates seeks to build a closer relationship between the University and the community and to promote an appreciation for the value of literature. The Library Associates work to enhance the visibility of the Saint Louis University Libraries and to support the development of their world-class collections and services. For more information on the SLU Library Associates, visit lib.slu.edu/about/associates.