Sophie Brody Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 14 (2019) Winner
Michael David Lukas
マイケル・デイヴィッド・ルーカス
Maikeru Deividdo Rūkusu
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1979-03-30 （Berkeley, California）
- Nationality
- American
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Judaism
- Residence History
- Berkeley, California → Providence, Rhode Island → College Park, Maryland → Turkey → Tunisia → Oakland, California
Career
- Occupations
- novelist, author, creative writing professor
- Active Years
- 2002-2024
- Affiliations
- San Francisco State University, Stanford University, University of the Pacific, 826 Valencia
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown University | — | Comparative Literature | BA | — | United States |
| University of Maryland | — | Creative Writing | MFA | — | United States |
Brown University
Comparative Literature
Degree:
BA
Year of Graduation:
2001
Country:
United States
University of Maryland
Creative Writing
Degree:
MFA
Year of Graduation:
2006
Country:
United States
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | National Jewish Book Award | The Last Watchman of Old Cairo | — | Jewish Book Council | winner |
| 2019 | Sami Rohr Prize | The Last Watchman of Old Cairo | — | Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature | winner |
| 2019 | Sophie Brody Medal | The Last Watchman of Old Cairo | — | American Library Association | winner |
National Jewish Book Award
2018
Work:
The Last Watchman of Old Cairo
Organization:
Jewish Book Council
Result:
winner
Sami Rohr Prize
2019
Work:
The Last Watchman of Old Cairo
Organization:
Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature
Result:
winner
Sophie Brody Medal
2019
Work:
The Last Watchman of Old Cairo
Organization:
American Library Association
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Oracle of Stamboul
2011 Historical FictionIn late Ottoman Istanbul, an orphan girl arrives with a mysterious owl and becomes an advisor to the Sultan, potentially altering the empire's fate.
FateMysticismDecline of Empire
Translations
- Translated into over a dozen languages
The Last Watchman of Old Cairo
2018 Historical FictionA multi-generational story of a family guarding an ancient synagogue in Cairo, exploring the intersections of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Religious CoexistenceIdentityFamily Legacy
Bibliography
- The Oracle of Stamboul (2011)
- The Last Watchman of Old Cairo (2018)
- Numerous book reviews and essays (The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, etc.)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Polyphonic narrativeRich historical detail
- Recurring Motifs
- Middle Eastern cultureJewish heritageCross-cultural encounters
Legacy
American author acclaimed for his historical novels, particularly in Jewish literature. Teaches creative writing at San Francisco State University and was a Fulbright Scholar in Turkey.
Trivia
- Fulbright Scholar in Turkey
- Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar in Tunisia
- National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship
- Santa Maddalena Foundation Fellowship
- Bread Loaf Writers' Conference Fellowship