The 2024 Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Awards announced the shortlist of books eligible for top honors in eight of its literary categories. Fifty-two books written by Indiana authors and published in 2022 and 2023 have been shortlisted. All winners will be announced by Aug. 22.
Among the nominees is Agata Izabela Brewer of Crawfordsville for “The Hunger Book: A Memoir from Communist Poland.” Her book, in the debut category, is about food and motherhood, weaving together stories of alcohol addiction and violence against the background of Stalinist-era apartment buildings and lush gardens.
Another area author recognized as a nominee in the children’s category is Troy Cummings of Greencastle for “Otto the Ornament,” a picture book about a snazzy Christmas ornament that tries to find the tree on which he can shine the brightest.
Shortlisted books were written by lifelong Hoosiers, professors at Indiana colleges and universities, and former residents with deep connections to Indiana. This year’s shortlists feature stories and poetry that explore Indiana’s forgotten past, difficult personal histories, contemporary retellings of favorite fairytales, mysterious happenings and more. From books for our youngest readers to insightful scholarship on unexpected topics, the breadth of voices recognized in the shortlists show that Indiana’s literary prowess persists and continues to grow. Whether exploring the local or looking out to the wider world (real or imagined), Indiana’s authors are claiming their place in the legacy of Midwestern writing about the history of this nation and our lives today.
The awards were established in 2009 as a vision of Eugene and Marilyn Glick and are a component of Indiana Humanities’ rich and diverse literary programming. Indiana Humanities, with support from Glick Philanthropies, confer the awards every other year. Honorees can participate in an annual statewide speaker program and connect with readers, teachers and students.
“Indiana is fertile ground for local writers to grow and flourish, and the awards celebrate that,” said Marianne Glick, chair of the Glick Family Foundation and daughter of Eugene and Marilyn Glick. “The Indiana Authors Awards programs provide the next generation of writers with opportunities to learn from previous winners and honorees. That’s something I would say is as important as the awards themselves, and I’m thrilled to see the continued success of both.”
Judges for the Indiana Authors Awards included former winners, writers, educators, scholars, local bookstore owners and librarians.
“Literature is far more than words on a page, and these shortlisted books display the incredible talent and effort that goes into writing works that represent Indiana well,” said Keira Amstutz, Indiana Humanities president and CEO. “We had the most nominations we’ve ever seen in 2024, and the competition was robust. We deeply appreciate the generosity of Glick Philanthropies that empowers us to connect readers with new and familiar writers whose work we know will inspire them.”
