Erdrich Named 2021 Voice of the Heartland

The Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association and the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association announced this morning that Louise Erdrich is this year’s Voice of the Heartland Award winner. The award is given in recognition of individuals or organizations who uphold the value of independent bookselling and have made a significant contribution to bookselling in the Midwest. Past recipients of this award include Wendell Berry, Kate DiCamillo, and Jim Harrison. Erdrich will receive the award at the Heartland Fall Forum virtual awards ceremony on October 14.

Erdrich is not just an author of award-winning books for adults and children; she is also the owner of Birchbark Books & Native Arts in Minneapolis. In a release, Johanna Hynes, Ingram Publishing Services sales manager, speaking on behalf of the awards nominating committee, praised Erdrich for creating a “rich literary landscape celebrating a sense of place and a sensibility common to our region.” Hynes added: “She has long made her home here and her literary work has consistently given a voice to those often neglected or poorly represented in literature. Equally meaningful to us, she is a fellow independent bookseller."