Ohioana Book Awards to be presented Oct. 26 at the Ohio Statehouse

For the first time in two years, the annual Ohioana Book Awards will be presented live, with the event occurring from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 26, in the atrium of the Ohio Statehouse, Broad and High streets.

The previous two awards ceremonies were held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

All but two of the eight winners will appear and speak at the evening event, with book signings to follow. Anthony Doerr, winner in the fiction category for “Cloud Cuckoo Land,” and Hanif Abdurraqib, nonfiction winner for “A Little Devil in America,” both are unable to attend but will have pre-recorded acceptance speeches on video.

More:'American Demon' delves into Cleveland history and Eliot Ness's pursuit of a serial killer

The other winners are:

⋅ Brian Alexander, in the category of a book about Ohio or an Ohioan, for “The Hospital”,

⋅ Jasmine Warga, middle grade and young adult genre, for “The Shape of Thunder”;

⋅ Andrea Wang, juvenile literature, for “Watercress”;

⋅ Manuel Iris, reader’s choice, for “The Parting Present / Lo que se ira”; and

⋅ Louise Ling Edwards, winner of the Walter Rumsey Marvin Grant awarded to an Ohio writer age 30 or younger who has not yet published a book. (Doerr won this award at the age of 26, with his winning entry that was a chapter of what became his first book, “The Shell Collector.”)

The Ohioana Book Awards were first given in 1942 and are among the oldest and most prestigious state literary prizes in the United States. Previous winners include David McCullough, Toni Morrison, James Thurber and Jacqueline Woodson.

“When They Tell You to Be Good":Prince Shakur's powerful memoir an unflinching portrait of gay Black man's search for self

Seven of this year’s awards were determined by juries with the Readers’ Choice award selected through a public, online poll with nearly 2,000 votes.

The event will include heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks. Tickets cost $80 with sales ending Oct. 24. Go to www.eventbrite.com/e/2023-ohioana-book-awards-tickets-421376457327

negilson@gmail.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: The Ohioana Book Awards will presented live Oct. 26 at the Statehouse