42nd Annual Saint Louis Literary Award Recipient Salman Rushdie

The Saint Louis University Library Associates was delighted to announce that Sir Salman Rushdie received the 2009 Saint Louis Literary Award on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 on the Saint Louis University campus. Born in Bombay, India, Salman Rushdie is the acclaimed author of ten novels - Grimus, Midnight’s Children (Booker Prize, 1981; “Best of the Booker” award, 2008, for the best novel to have won the prize in its first 40 years), Shame, The Satanic Verses, Haroun and the Sea of Stories, The Moor’s Last Sigh, The Ground Beneath Her Feet, Fury, Shalimar the Clown, and The Enchantress of Florence – and one book of stories, East, West, as well as three works of nonfiction—Imaginary Homelands, The Jaguar Smile, and Step Across This Line.

Watch the 2009 St. Louis Literary Award Ceremony

A Fellow of the British Royal Society of Literature and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Salman Rushdie has received, among other awards, the Whitbread Prize for Best Novel (twice), the European Union’s Aristeion Prize for Literature, Author of the Year Prizes in both Britain and Germany, the Budapest Grand Prize for Literature, the Premio Grinzane Cavour in Italy, and the Austrian State Prize for European Literature. He holds the rank of Commandeur in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France’s highest artistic honor. From 2004 to 2006 he served as President of PEN American Center, and continues to work as president of the PEN World Voices International Literary Festival, which he helped create. In June 2007 he was knighted for services to literature. His books have been translated into more than 40 languages. Films are in production of both Midnight's Children and Haroun and the Sea of Stories.

Founded in 1964, the Saint Louis University Library Associates enhances the visibility of Saint Louis University Libraries in order to promote the development of their collections and services.  More information on the Library Associates can be found at: Saint Louis University Library Associates.

This was 42nd year of the Saint Louis Literary Award. The Award has been won by such distinguished figures in literature as Joyce Carol Oates, Saul Bellow, E.L. Doctorow, Arthur Miller, Joan Didion, and others. Sir Rushdie will be presented this Award on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 at Saint Louis University. This event is free and open to the public. The Saint Louis University Library Associates recognized Sir Rushdie at a dinner following the award presentation and lecture.

The 2009 Literary Award, honoring Salman Rushdie was held on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 at Saint Louis University’s Wool Auditorium in SLU's Busch Student Center, 20 N. Grand. Blvd.

The program included the Literary Award presentation at 5:30pm (free and open to the public) and a reception followed by dinner at the Coronado Ballroom (reservations required), 3701 Lindell Boulevard, with complimentary valet parking.

Please send comments and suggestions to Saint Louis University Library Associates.