German booksellers' Peace Prize goes to Grossman

[June 10, 2010]  BERLIN (AP) -- Germany's book publishers' association has named Israeli author David Grossman the winner of its 2010 Peace Prize in honor of his support for reconciliation between Israel and the Palestinians.

Grossman will be awarded the $30,200 prize on Oct. 10 during the annual Frankfurt Book Fair. In announcing its decision Thursday, the German Publishers and Booksellers Association praised Grossman for always attempting to "understand and describe the position of the other."

In his epic novel "To the End of the Land," Grossman tells the story of a woman's journey through Israel. It was written after Grossman's son was killed by a Hezbollah missile in 2006.

Past winners include Orhan Pamuk, Susan Sontag, Amos Oz, Vaclav Havel and Octavio Paz.

[Associated Press]

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