Society of American Historians Prize for Historical Fiction explained

Awarded For:	Best in Historical fiction
Presenter:	Society of American Historians
Year:	1993
Website:	sah.columbia.edu

The Society of American Historians Prize for Historical Fiction, formerly known as the James Fenimore Cooper Prize, is a biennial award given for the best Historical American fiction by the Society of American Historians. It is awarded in the odd-numbered years.^[1]

History

The prize has been awarded since 1993. It is given to honor a work of literary fiction that "makes a significant contribution to historical understanding, portrays authentically the people and events of the historical past, and displays skills in narrative construction and prose style" and that concerns American history.^{[2] [3]} The prize, which until 2018 was named for nineteenth-century American historical novelist James Fenimore Cooper, carries a cash award of .^[4]

Awards

• 1993: Shaman by Noah Gordon
• 1995: In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O'Brien
• 1997: The Cattle Killing by John Edgar Wideman
• 1999: Gain by Richard Powers
• 2001: Tie: A Dangerous Friend by Ward Just and Bone by Bone by Peter Matthiessen
• 2003: Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker
• 2005: The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
• 2007: The Last Town on Earth by Thomas Mullen
• 2009: Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
• 2011: by Karl Marlantes
• 2013: Remember Ben Clayton by Stephen Harrigan
• 2015: Saint Monkey by Jacinda Townsend^[5]
• 2017: No prize awarded^[6]
• 2019: There There by Tommy Orange^[7]
• 2021: Conjure Women by Afia Atakora^[8]
• 2023: A Dangerous Business by Jane Smiley^[9]

Notes and References

1. https://sah.columbia.edu/content/prizes/society-american-historians-prize-historical-fiction-formerly-known-james-fenimore Society of American Historians Prize for Historical Fiction (formerly known as the James Fenimore Cooper Prize)
2. Web site: The Society of American Historians . . 2012-04-17.
3. News: Book Notes . . 1995-05-10 . 2012-04-17 . Mary B. W. . Tabor.
4. Improve your chances of winning a contest . . 2012-01-19 . 2014-01-16 . Erika . Dreifus.
5. Web site: Society of American Historians: James Fenimore Cooper Prize . . 2015-05-12.
6. Web site: Society of American Historians: James Fenimore Cooper Prize . . 2017-05-23.
7. Web site: Society of American Historians: James Fenimore Cooper Prize . . 2019-05-07.
8. Web site: official website . 2021-05-09.
9. Web site: official website . 2023-05-16.