INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana Center for the Book named the five winners of the 2009 Best Books of Indiana Awards at a weekend ceremony at the Indiana State Library in Indianapolis. The competition consists of five categories each with a panel of judges who considered all entries and granted awards at their discretion. The winning title, author, author's hometown and winning publisher are listed below by category.
2009 Best Books of Indiana
Children's/Young Adult
Diamond Willow by Helen Frost (Fort Wayne). Farrar, Straus and Giroux. New York, NY
Fiction
Anathema by Colleen Coble (Wabash). Thomas Nelson Books. Nashville, TN
Nonfiction Historical/Biographical
Robert F. Kennedy and the 1968 Indiana Primary by Ray Boomhower (Indianapolis). Indiana University Press. Bloomington, IN
Nonfiction Creative/Instructional
Home Grown Indiana by Christine Barbour (Bloomington) and Scott Hutcheson (Lebanon). Indiana University Press. Bloomington, IN
Poetry
A Matinee in Plato's Cave by Rob Griffith (Evansville). Water Press & Media. Argyle, TX
The six winning authors were all first-time winners in the Best Books of Indiana Awards. Indianapolis native Ray Boomhower won his first Best Book Award in his record-setting fourth year as a contest finalist. University of Evansville Professor Rob Griffith was victorious in the poetry category that included finalist entries by former Best Book winner (2005) David Shumate (Marian University) and Indiana's Poet Laureate, Norbert Krapf. However, Krapf became the first author in contest history to be selected as a finalist in two different categories in the same year. A complete listing of 2009 Best Books of Indiana entrants, including all category finalists, is available at the Indiana Center for the Book's website.
Each entry was judged on the quality of writing, with organization and interpretation also considered. Books by Indiana authors or about Indiana and published in 2008 were eligible. This year's winners will be engraved on a plaque in the Indiana Authors Room where one copy of their book will remain indefinitely. Three copies of all 2009 competition entries have been added to the State Library's collection. Two copies of each entry will circulate. Indiana citizens can borrow any Best Books of Indiana title at the State Library or request it via interlibrary loan at their local public library.
The Indiana Center for the Book started the Best Books of Indiana Awards in 2005 to strengthen interest in Indiana's strong literary heritage. The 2009 competition featured 61 titles published between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2008. The 2010 competition for books published in 2009 will begin accepting entries on October 2, 2009. More information is available at the Indiana Center for the Book's website
About the Indiana Center for the Book:
The Indiana Center for the Book is a program of the Indiana State Library and an affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.
The Indiana Center for the Book promotes interest in reading, writing, literacy, libraries, and Indiana's literary heritage by sponsoring events and serving as an information resource at the state and local level. The Center supports both the professional endeavors and the popular pursuits of Indiana's residents toward reading and writing.
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Media Contact: Drew Griffis
(317) 650-6158, agriffis@library.IN.gov
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