Emily Ruskovich, an assistant professor in the department of theatre, film, and creative writing at Boise State University, has won the 2019 International Dublin Literary Award. Professor Ruskovich was honored for her novel Idaho (Hanser Berlin, 2018).
The International Dublin Literary Award is given by the Dublin, Ireland city council and comes with a prize of 100,000 euros. It is the largest monetary prize for a single novel published in English. Ruskovich is the fourth American author to win the prize in its 24-year history. Judges chose Ruskovich’s novel from a total of 141 titles, nominated by libraries in 115 cities in 41 countries.
The judging panel for the award noted that “Ruskovich’s masterful achievement is to narrate with consummate skill the complex series of events covering a time-span of more than 50 years. Empathy and love stand next to cruelty and crime. Individual guilt, trauma and pain are looming as large as eventual forgiveness and the ability to live in half-knowledge. Ultimately, Idaho evolves into a masterpiece on the redeeming and regenerative potential of music, poetry, literature and art.”
In accepting the honor Professor Ruskovich said: “I cannot express how grateful I am to be the recipient of this astonishingly generous award. It is difficult to know how to respond to the magnitude of this kindness that has been so suddenly bestowed upon me.”
Professor Ruskovich is a native of Idaho. She earned a master of fine arts degree from the Iowa Writer’s Workshop.