Ian McEwan has been awarded the $10,000 Jerusalem Prize. Israel's highest literary honor for foreign writers is given biennially to an author whose work best expresses and promotes the idea of "freedom of the individual in society." McEwan will be honored Thursday during the opening of the Jerusalem International Book Fair.
"McEwan's protagonists struggle for their right to give personal expression to their ideas, and to live according to those ideas in an environment of political and social turmoil," the jury said. "His obvious affection for them, and the compelling manner in which he describes their struggle, make him one of the most important writers of our time. His books have been translated into many languages and have enjoyed world-wide success--particularly in Israel, where he is one of the most widely-read of foreign authors. For his love of people and concern for their right to self-realization, and in recognition of his artistic achievements, we have decided to award Ian McEwan the Jerusalem Prize for the Freedom of the Individual in Society."