The Benson Medal is a medal awarded by the Royal Society of Literature in the UK.[1]
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]
- ^ a b c d e f g "The Benson Medal", The Royal Society of Literature website.
- ^ E. M. Forster Archived 7 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine from the Tiscali UK web portal.
- ^ Two Kings of Redonda: M. P. Shiel and John Gawsworth, from a University of Iowa website.
- ^ Narayan's author biography Archived 9 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine from the Penguin Books website.
- ^ A. L. Rowse: Historian and friend - Obituary, a December 2001 Contemporary Review article via findarticles.com.
- ^ Biography of Wole Soyinka from the website of the Echo Foundation.
- ^ Biography of Helen Waddell Archived 3 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine, from the online Dictionary of Ulster Biography.
- ^ "Royal Society of Literature » Boyd Tonkin Awarded newly-designed Benson Medal". rsliterature.org. Retrieved 30 November 2020.