The European Union Prize for Literature goes to Czech writer Tomáš Zmeškal
The author Tomáš Zmeškal was awarded the 2011 European Union Prize for Literature for his debut prose work Milostný dopis klínovým písmem (Love Letter in a Cuneiform Script).
The announcement of the winners was made at the Frankfurt Book Fair and Zmeškal, who attended the event, said: “When you avoid yielding to ephemeral literary trends, writing is actually a very solitary vocation. It is a pleasure to be wrenched out of this solitude with the realisation that readers like your writing. Because you don't really think about them while you are writing. I'm happy! The awards ceremony, where all the twelve laureates will be bestowed, is scheduled for 28 November in Brussels.
The European Union Prize for Literature in the Czech Republic
The Literary Section of The Arts and Theatre Institute (IDU) has been responsible for organising the selection of the Czech award winner. The committee, assembled by the Institute, was as follows: Vladimír Karfík (chair, IDU), Lubomír Machala (Writer's Guild), Vladimír Pistorius and Marcela Turečková (both from the Association of Czech Booksellers and Publishers).
For more information, go to: www.euprizeliterature.eu/node/139 or www.tomaszmeskal.cz.
