Alison Kennedy, Professor of Creative Writing in the English and Comparative Literature Department at the University of Warwick and Warwick Alumna has been awarded the Heinrich Heine Prize 2016 of the state capital Dusseldorf.

The Heine Prize is one of the most important literary and personality awards in Germany and has been awarded since 1972. The Heine Prize is awarded by the Council of the state capital Dusseldorf "to personalities who serve by their intellectual heritage in terms of fundamental human rights, for which Heinrich Heine used, to promote social and political progress, international understanding or the realization of the unity of all people spread".

AL Kennedy, Professor of Creative Writing in the English and Comparative Literature Department at the University of Warwick said on receiving the prize:

"I am immensely proud to have received such a prestigious and ethical award for my work. I can only express my gratitude to the judges."

The Heine Prize jury said: "The Heinrich Heine Prize of the City Dusseldorf 2016 is awarded to the excellent AL Kennedy. Born in Glasgow the author is well known for her idiosyncratic literary work, which plumbs the limits of the human soul. Her views on political and social conditions sharpen social discussions about the Iraq war and the proposed referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union in the tradition of Heinrich Heine. AL Kennedy is a great literary figure and a fractious European"

"In columns for major newspapers and in public discussions, AL Kennedy speaks up - ironic and eloquent, much like Heinrich Heine" said Thomas Geisel, Mayor of Dusseldorf.

Alison Louise Kennedy was born on 22 October 1965 in Dundee and studied Theatre and Drama at the University of Warwick.

She returned to the University of Warwick as a Professor of Creative Writing in 2007. Besides writing novels and short stories for theatre, television and radio AL Kennedy has a written a political column in The Guardian since 2000.

The prize will be awarded at a ceremony in Dusseldorf in December, the anniversary of the historic birthday of Heinrich Heine.

Notes:

AL Kennedy biography:

A.L.Kennedy was born in Dundee in 1965. She is the author of 17 books: 6 literary novels, 1 science fiction novel, 7 short story collections and 3 works of non-fiction. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. She was twice included in the Granta Best of Young British Novelists list.

Her prose is published in a number of languages. She has won awards including the 2007 Costa Book Award and the Austrian State Prize for International Literature. She is also a dramatist for the stage, radio, TV and film. She is an essayist and regularly reads her work on BBC radio. She occasionally writes and performs one-person shows. She writes for a number of UK and overseas publications and for The Guardian Online.

Contact:

Alex Buxton: Media Relations Manager, University of Warwick

Tel: 02476 150423
Mob: 07876 218166
E: a.buxton.1@warwick.ac.uk