St. Louis Literary Award Recipient Margaret Atwood to Be Honored Tuesday, Sept. 19
The 2017 St. Louis Literary Award will mark two important milestones in September -- 50 years of the Saint Louis University Library Associates recognizing the most important writers of our time and the launch of the bicentennial celebration of Saint Louis University's 200th anniversary.
The group has selected acclaimed writer Margaret Atwood as the recipient of the 2017 St. Louis Literary Award. The award ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, at the Sheldon Concert Hall. KETC-TV Ch. 9 will also provide a live simulcast of the award ceremony in the Anheuser-Busch Auditorium at the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business.
The event is sold out however tickets are still available for a special reception with the author immediately following the award ceremony at the Sheldon. The cost is $100 and registration is available online.
Atwood will be introduced by Rachel Greenwald-Smith, Ph.D., of the Department of English. Following remarks by Atwood, Jennifer Buehler, Ph.D., from the Department of Education will moderate a Q&A with the author.
In addition to honoring Margaret Atwood, the Walter J. Ong, S.J. Award for the Outstanding Graduate Student in the Department of English will be presented by Toby Benis, Ph.D., chair of the Department of English, as part of the ceremony. The award is underwritten by the von Kaenel family.
At Noon Wednesday, Sept. 20, writer George Hodgman will join Atwood in a conversation about "The Writing Life" in the Anheuser-Busch Auditorium at SLU's Chaifetz School of Business. An audience Q&A follows. This event is free and open to the public as well as the SLU community. For more information or to register, contact Erica Lauriello at elauriel@slu.edu or (314) 977-3090.
About Margaret Atwood: In a career spanning more than 50 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. Her 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, Ms. Magazine Woman of the Year, Arthur C. Clarke Award for Best Science Fiction, the PEN Pinter Award, and the Canadian Booksellers’ Lifetime Achievement Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Book Critics Circle. An adaptation of The Handmaid's Tale also received 13 Emmy nominations this year.
About the St. Louis Literary Award: 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. Recipients of the Saint Louis University Library Associates’ annual award include Tennessee Williams, Joan Didion and August Wilson. Learn more about previous winners of the award.
About the Saint Louis University Library Associates: 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: