Hengst: They have ‘amazing talent’

Linda Hengst

     (AAPNW) – Executive director of the Ohioana Library, Linda Hengst expressed, “Ohio has fostered amazing talent!  Among this year’s award recipients are former Poet Laureate of the United States Rita Dove and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Jorma Kaukonen.” Each of this year’s award winners has made significant contributions to the literary, artistic, and musical life of Ohio and our nation, and we are proud to be able to recognize such talented individuals.”

     On Friday, October 15 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm, the public is invited for an informal meet and greet and reception for the award recipients. The event, “Uncorrected Proofs” will include readings and a panel discussion with the book award winners lead by Senior Editor Linda Feagler of Ohio Magazine. Admission is $25 per person and reservations are required.

     On Saturday, October 16, the Ohioana Day celebration will be in the Statehouse Atrium on Capitol Square. At 10:00 am, there is the 81st annual association’s meeting, a book fair at 10:30 am, with the luncheon and awards ceremony beginning at 11:30 am. Also open to the public, however reservations at $50 per person are required

     Those being recognized are:

     Lifelong Columbus residents, Timothy and James Keny are the honorees of the 2010 Ohioana Career Award, given to an Ohio native for a lifetime of service to the arts and humanities. Toledo’s Lucas County Poet Laureate Joel Lipman, will receive the 2010 Pegasus Award, which honors a native or non-native Ohioan for outstanding cultural achievements.

     The recipients of the Ohioana Book Awards, Ohioana Citations and Named Awards for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, juvenile books, and books about Ohio or Ohioans are:

     Fiction: “Await Your Reply” by Dan Chaon of Cleveland Heights and Oberlin College professor.

     Nonfiction: “When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the present” by Gail Collins, Cincinnati and first woman appointed editor of the New York Times editorial page.

     Poetry: “Sonata Mulattica: Poems” by Rita Dove, Akron and former Poet Laureate of the United States.

     Juvenile Book: “Cuckoo’s Haiku” by Michael J. Rosen, Columbus and former literary director of Thurber House.

     About Ohio/Ohioan: “Wild Ohio” by James McCormac, Columbus and employee of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and Cleveland photographer Gary Meszaros.

     Ohioana Citations for distinguished service in specific fields or areas of the arts and humanities are: Children’s author to Brian Cleary, Cleveland; Artist and Illustrator to Loren Long, Cincinnati; Art and Education to Patty Mitchell, Athens; and Music to Jorma Kaukonen, Pomeroy.

     Named Awards are: Ohioana James P. Barry Award for Editorial Excellence, Jill Allyn, editor, New Ohio Review, Ohio University, Athens; Ohioana Walter Rumsey Marvin Grant that is awarded to encourage a young unpublished writer went to: Daniel Pribble of Oxford; Ohioana Children’s Literature Award (Alice Louise Wood Memorial) to Sharon Draper of now Cincinnati, for the body of her work and contributions to Children’s Literature.

     For more information, call 614-466-3831, or email: ohioana@ohioana.org.