Presented to: Levi S. Peterson
For: The Canyons of Grace
In awarding this prize, the judges said, "Peterson demonstrates in these six stories an artistic versatility ranging from the profoundly symbolic to the delightfully comic. Peterson sets his stories in a moral Mormon universe in which his characters often struggle with their Mormon vision, cope sensitively with their guilt, and seek for redemption. With this brilliant collection, Peterson has raised the Mormon short story to a new level of artistic excellence and sophistication."