The Fairfax Prize

In 2003, the board of directors of Fall for the Book established the Fairfax Prize to honor outstanding American writers for their lifetime achievement in fiction. Recipients of the award are noted for achievements in the following criteria:

• Writing and publishing excellent works that contribute significantly to American or international culture
• Generously giving personal time and talents to the development of literature and literary endeavors
• Mentoring younger writers, which includes but is not limited to teaching
• Giving special service to the community of writers, such as editing anthologies or journals that give opportunities for publication to other writers.

The recipient is honored at a special reading and reception during the festival, at which time he or she is given a monetary prize and the Fairfax Prize statue. The winner of the first Fairfax Prize, in 2003, was Tobias Wolff. Subsequent winners have included Joyce Carol Oates and Norman Mailer. In 2007, Mitch Albom will be honored for his contributions to American letters and his generosity of spirit. Also in 2007, the Fairfax County Public Library Foundation begins sponsoring the Fairfax Prize, contributing the prize amount and helping to select the recipient.