John IrvingAcclaimed novelist John Irving, former wrestler and coach -- and 1982 National Wrestling Hall of Fame honoree - has been has been presented with a lifetime achievement award honoring writers whose work fosters peace, social justice, and global understanding.
Dayton Literary Peace Prize officials named Irving, 76, for the Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award. The award is named for the late U.S. diplomat who brokered the 1995 Bosnia peace accords reached at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
Irving, who is being honored for his complete body of work, encompassing 14 novels over 50 years, will be presented with the award at a gala ceremony in Dayton on October 28, 2018.
In announcing the recipient of the 2018 award on Tuesday, Sharon Rab, founder and chair of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize organization , said, "John Irving's body of work creates worlds that allow the reader to explore the contradictions of twisted morality, the consequences of suspicions of the other, the absurdities of pride and ignorance, and the tragedy of a lack of sympathy and empathy for our fellow humans: characteristics that make peace unreachable. Through books --especially Irving's books -- readers learn to understand and identify with people who are different from themselves."
John Irving was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1942. His first novel, "Setting Free the Bears," was published in 1968, when he was twenty-six. According to his biography at his official website, Irving competed as a wrestler for twenty years, and coached wrestling until he was forty-seven. He has incorporated the sport in his writing, including "The 158-Pound Marriage" which features a wrestling coach as main character, and his popular novel "The World According to Garp" that incorporates the sport ... as well as a detailed profile of Dan Gable titled "Gorgeous Dan" for Esquire magazine.
Irving was welcomed into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as an Outstanding American in 1982. He was the subject of a Mat Talk Podcast "Legends" interview with Jason Bryant.
The Dayton Literary Peace Prize award includes a $10,000 prize. Previous winners include Studs Terkel, Taylor Branch, Gloria Steinem, and Elie Wiesel.
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