Benson Medal

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The Benson Medal is a medal awarded by the Royal Society of Literature in the UK. [1]

Contents

It was founded in 1916 by A. C. Benson who was a Fellow of the Society, to honour those who produce "meritorious works in poetry, fiction, history, and belles-lettres ". [1] The medal has been awarded several times to writers in other languages, and is occasionally awarded those who are not writers, but who have done conspicuous service to literature.

The medal is awarded at irregular intervals for lifelong achievement. Recipients include: Edmund Blunden, Anita Desai, Maureen Duffy, [1] E. M. Forster, [2] Christopher Fry, [1] John Gawsworth, [3] Nadine Gordimer, Philip Larkin, [1] R. K. Narayan [4] A. L. Rowse, [5] George Santayana, [1] Wole Soyinka, [6] Lytton Strachey, J. R. R. Tolkien, [1] and Helen Waddell. [7]

In November 2020, the new design for the medal by Linda Crook was unveiled. The design includes books on one side, and people on the other. [8]

Recent recipients

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

Earlier recipients

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References

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  2. E. M. Forster Archived 7 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine from the Tiscali UK web portal.
  3. Two Kings of Redonda: M. P. Shiel and John Gawsworth, from a University of Iowa website.
  4. Narayan's author biography Archived 9 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine from the Penguin Books website.
  5. A. L. Rowse: Historian and friend - Obituary, a December 2001 Contemporary Review article via findarticles.com.
  6. Biography of Wole Soyinka from the website of the Echo Foundation.
  7. Biography of Helen Waddell Archived 3 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine , from the online Dictionary of Ulster Biography.
  8. "Royal Society of Literature » Boyd Tonkin Awarded newly-designed Benson Medal". rsliterature.org. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  9. "2022 Fellows, Honorary Fellows and Benson Medal". rsliterature.org. The Royal Society of Literature. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  10. "Alastair Niven Awarded 2021 Benson Medal". rsliterature.org. The Royal Society of Literature. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  11. "Royal Society of Literature » The Benson Medal". rsliterature.org. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  12. "Queen Mary academic receives prestigious Royal Society of Literature Award", Queen Mary University of London, 25 June 2019.
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  16. i.e. Dr James Parker, Co-ordinator of the International Public Lending Right Network (IPLR).
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  20. Shusaku Endo (May 1996). Silence. ISBN   9780140249521.
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  22. 1 2 Dictionary of National Biography .
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  26. "Benson and hedging: James Fergusson reveals a high profile dispute over the RSL Benson Medal", The Royal Society of Literature.
  27. "E(dward) M(organ) Forster". Archived from the original on 7 September 2008. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  28. "London's Book Market". The Argus. 4 April 1931. Retrieved 20 February 2018.