Book Notes

UVa’s Leffler wins prize for ‘Mankind’

University of Virginia’s Miller Center of Public Affairs’ Melvyn P. Leffler’s was recognized by the American Historical Association.

His work, “For the Soul of Mankind: The United States, The Soviet Union, and the Cold War,” won the 2008 George Louis Beer Prize, in recognition of outstanding historical writing in European international history since 1895, the association announced recently.

In the book, Leffler discusses for significant Cold War episodes in which American and Soviet leaders considered changing, avoiding or ending hostilities and explains why each failed.

He also illustrates how Ronald Regan, George H. W. Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev finally removed themselves from the policies and perspectives that had imprisoned their predecessors and successfully reshaped Soviet-American relations after decades of confrontation.

Sawtelle fans will be glad for the prequel

The author of the Oprah Winfrey-endorsed ``The Story of Edgar Sawtelle’’ is writing a prequel.

Author David Wroblewski said Thursday, in a statement issued by publisher Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins: ``My fascination with the Sawtelles and the Sawtelle dogs is far from over. This new novel is a chance to look more deeply into their story, and a tremendously exciting project to me.’’

Wroblewski’s debut novel, an updating of ``Hamlet’’ set in rural Wisconsin, was a word-of-mouth hit last summer and became a blockbuster in the fall after Winfrey picked it for her book club. His new work, the second of a planned trilogy, is not yet titled, and no publication date has been set.

Poets & Writers

receives large grant

Poets & Writers, a nonprofit literary organization, has received a $2 million donation to support its Jackson Poetry Prize, a $50,000 award founded in 2007 for emerging American poets.

“Receiving this generous gift during such a challenging time reminds us of the importance of literature,” Elliot Figman, executive director of Poets & Writers, said in a statement.

The money comes from the Liana Foundation, a philanthropic organization based in Far Hills, N.J., and co-managed by poet Susan Jackson.

From staff and wire reports