Eugene author wins Oregon Book Award for book on post-prison life for inmates
Eugene author Lauren Kessler has won an Oregon Book Award for "Free: Two Years, Six Lives, and the Long Journey Home."
Kessler's book was announced as the winner of the Frances Fuller Victor Award for general nonfiction at a ceremony Monday in Portland hosted by Literary Arts that honored this year's Oregon Book Awards winners.
The Oregon Book Awards honors Oregon writers who work in poetry, fiction, drama, general nonfiction, creative nonfiction, literature for young adult and middle grade readers and children's literature. A panel of out-of-state judges chose 34 Oregonians across the seven genres as finalists from 193 submitted titles, contest officials said.
Kessler has written 11 narrative nonfiction books, including her most recent award-winning title. She combines her lively narratives with deep research to explore topics ranging from longtime incarceration to the intense world of professional ballet.
Her book "Free: Two Years, Six Lives, and the Long Journey Home" explores the challenging road to reentry after being incarcerated. Through immersion reporting, Kessler tells the story of six people's journeys as they are released from prison and adjust to the outside world. She touches on institutionalized obstacles, lack of resources and social stigmas people who have recently been released from prison face.
Other winners this year include Sindya Bhanoo of Corvallis for "Seeking Fortune Elsewhere: Stories" (fiction); Eric Tran of Portland for "Mouth, Sugar, and Smoke" (poetry); Sara Jean Accuardi of Portland for "The Storyteller" (drama); Casey Parks of Portland for "Diary of a Misfit: A Memoir and a Mystery" (creative nonfiction); Waka T. Brown of West Linn for "Dream, Annie, Dream" (young adult and middle grade literature); and Dane Liu of Portland for “Friends Are Friends, Forever” (children's literature).
Makenzie Elliott covers breaking news and public safety for The Register-Guard. Reach her at MElliott@gannett.com. Find her on Twitter at @makenzielliott.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Eugene author Lauren Kessler Oregon Book Award Free inmates prison
