Sir Max Hastings to Receive 2012 Pritzker Military Library Literature Award

Posted on June 19, 2012

British historian Sir Max Hastings has been named the recipient of the 2012 Pritzker Military Library Literature Award for Lifetime Achievement in Military Writing. The $100,000 honorarium, citation and medallion, sponsored by the Chicago-based Tawani Foundation, will be presented at the Library�s annual Liberty Gala on October 27, 2012. The award was established in 2007.

Hastings is the author of 23 books, the most recent of which include Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945, Finest Years: Churchill as Warlord 1940-45, Armageddon: The Battle for Germany 1944-45 and Nemesis: The Battle for Japan 1944-45. Hastings has reported on eleven conflicts in his books, including Vietnam and the 1982 South Atlantic war.

Hastings says, "I am over the moon to be honoured by the Pritzker Library in this way. Military history has been a big part of my life, and the Pritzker's contribution to its study has been enormous. I am so touched that as a British writer, a great American institution should recognise my work. The previous winners are all people for whom I have a huge admiration, and am proud to count as friends and colleagues. I feel as if I was joining a very select club, and simply hope that in the future I will be able to make an ongoing contribution to the Pritzker culture."

Here is a video of the award announcement. Take a look: