News - MLA
Thursday, January 28, 2021 02:52 PM

Mitch Albom Selected to Receive the 2020 Michigan Author Award

January 28, 2021

The Michigan Library Association (MLA) is pleased to announce that Mitch Albom has been selected as the recipient of the 2020 Michigan Author Award.

Mitch Albom is an internationally renowned and best-selling author, journalist, screenwriter, playwright, radio and television broadcaster and musician. His books have collectively sold more than 40 million copies worldwide; have been published in 49 territories and in 47 languages around the world; and have been made into Emmy Award-winning and critically-acclaimed television movies.

A work group representing MLA and the Michigan Center for the Book determine the Michigan Author Award recipient on overall literary merit. To be eligible, authors must be a current resident of Michigan, a long-time resident of Michigan, recently relocated or an author whose works are identified with Michigan because of subject and/or setting.

“Of this year’s nominees, Mitch Albom was the obvious choice. In addition to his literary body of work, Mr. Albom is a humanitarian and has exhibited an enduring commitment to Metro Detroit and Michigan as a whole," said Work Group Chair Eric Stanton, Public Services Librarian, Capital Area District Libraries. "The committee felt that this is an honor that is well overdue.”

The Michigan Author Award was established with the intention of recognizing significant Michigan authors with a lifetime achievement award. Over the years, the award has been given to a diverse collection of writers working in a variety of genres and styles. First awarded in a partnership with the Michigan Library Association and the Center for the Book in 1992, the 2020 award marks the last year that MLA will be awarding the Michigan Author Award. The award is now transitioning fully to the Center for the Book.

Past Michigan Author Award Winners include Dan Gerber, Charles Baxter, Nancy Willard, Janet Kauffman, Elmore Leonard, Loren Estleman, Gloria Whelan, Jerry Dennis, Janie Lynn Panagopoulos, Thomas Lynch, Nicholas Delbanco, Diane Wakoski, Patricia Polacco, Christopher Paul Curtis, Steve Hamilton, Sarah Stewart, Tom Stanton, Dave Dempsey, John Smolens, Gary Schmidt, Bonnie Jo Campbell, Laura Kasischke, Jim Harrison, David Small, Jacqueline Carey, Doc Fletcher and Jaimy Gordon.

 


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