Millhauser wins ESU's Ambassador Book Award for fiction

Professor of English Steven Millhauser has been named a winner of a 2009 Ambassador Book Award. Presented by the English-Speaking Union of the United States, the awards ?recognize important literary works that contribute to the understanding and interpretation of American life and culture,? according to the ESU?s web site.

Millhauser was cited in the category of fiction for his book Dangerous Laughter (2008, Alfred A. Knopf), which The New York Times listed as one of the ?10 Best Books of 2008.? Previous authors similarly honored by the ESU include Tom Wolfe, John Cheever, Philip Roth, and Annie Proulx.

The ESU promotes scholarship and the advancement of knowledge through the effective use of English in an expanding global community. The annual Ambassador Book Awards?presented in the fields of fiction, biography, autobiography, current affairs, American studies, and poetry?salute works that contribute to the understanding and interpretation of American life and culture.

The Times has called Millhauser ? one of the wizards of American fiction.? Click here to read an earlier Q&A with the author.