The 33rd Annual John Dos Passos Prize

On Friday, I attended the awards ceremony for the 2014 John Dos Passos Prize at Longwood University. It was the first time I had ever attended the ceremony and it paid off handsomely. I met the faculty organizer of the program, David Magill, as well as the sponsor of the $2,000 prize, Sharon Coulter.

Above all, I was fascinated to meet Ruth Ozeki, the winner of the prize. Her latest novel, A Tale for the Time Being, seems to have some interesting experimental form elements that connect her career to my grandfather’s. She was cordial, thoughtful, and engaging as a speaker. I’m eager to delve into her novel.

The John Dos Passos Prize is one of the few regular, institutional tributes to the Dos Passos legacy. It must be cherished.

-John Dos Passos Coggin