IU author, professor receives lifetime achievement award

Distinguished Professor Emeritus of English at IU Scott Russell Sanders received the 2010 Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award Monday, a lifetime achievement award that recognizes the literary contributions of Indiana authors to their state and the nation.

Sanders was awarded a $10,000 cash prize as well as a $2,500 grant to be given to the Indiana library of his choice. The library selection will be announced at a ceremony in October.

The author of more than 20 books, Sanders has been recognized through a Pulitzer Prize nomination and several other state and national awards.

“Scott is such a proponent of the sense of place, of feeling and celebrating one’s embeddedness in region and landscape, that it makes good sense for him to be recognized for this prestigious Indiana Authors Award,” said Jonathan Elmer, chair of the IU Department of English, in an IU press release. “And it’s a lovely gesture that the local library receives part of the prize -- I’m sure Scott appreciates that feature of the award as much as the other.”

IU Press author Ray Boomhower was also recognized as a regional finalist for the award. Boomhower is senior editor of Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History, the Indiana Historical Society’s quarterly historical magazine.

Award finalists in the three categories of national, regional and emerging will be honored at a ceremony on Oct. 9 at the Central Library in downtown Indianapolis.

— Bailey Loosemore