Julie Schumacher, the writer behind Dear Committee Members, has won the 2015 Thurber Prize for American Humor. She received $5,000 in prize money and a crystal plaque at a ceremony held in New York City.
Past Thurber Prize finalist Sloane Crosley, New Yorker cartoonist Liza Donnelly, and The Hard Way on Purpose author David Giffels served on this year’s judging panel. Past winners include Me Talk Pretty One Day writer David Sedaris, former Daily Show host Jon Stewart, and Truth in Advertising novelist John Kenney.
Here’s more from the press release: “The annual prize is presented by Thurber House, the national, nonprofit literary center located in the boyhood home of author, humorist and New Yorker cartoonist James Thurber in Columbus, Ohio, with support from the Greater Columbus Arts Council and a family foundation at The Columbus Foundation. The host for the evening was Henry Alford, a frequent contributor to the New York Times, Vanity Fair, and The New Yorker and author of several books, including Big Kiss and Would It Kill You to Stop Doing That? A Modern Guide to Manners. Dear Committee Members tells the story of a beleaguered creative writing professor through the hilarious letters of recommendation that he writes for his students and colleagues.” (Photo Credit: Catherine Smith)