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"  Fiction Winner: Tracy Chevalier, The Last Runaway As self-contained and meticulous as the universes Honor Bright quilts out of scrap fabric, this novel of new beginnings and the compromises they demand is a beauty. Honor&amp;#039;s English Quaker values are tested by the still-new United States and its gradual move toward the abolition of slavery, but she finds her way toward happiness without compromise by story&amp;#039;s end. Honor&amp;#039;s letters home are delightful, revealing and concealing at the same time, and her bravery on behalf of others is heroic. The Last Runaway is historical fiction, but the ethical issues it raises are by no means settled to this day.\u2014Heather Seggel, Ukiah, CA The Last Runaway paints a vivid picture of life on the American Frontier. It also offers a glimpse into the life of Quakers in the 1800s, and the cultural differences between the frontiersman of early America and the Quaker lifestyle. Honor&amp;#039;s voice is clear and true as she he shows strength in her determination to overcome heartbreak and defy her own beliefs to do what is right. A truly fantastic book.\u2014Selena Crochet, Houston, TX Chevalier creates characters that are complex and intriguing, and she is able to place them in historical situations in a way that both educates and fascinates us. The voice of Chevalier&amp;#039;s protagonist is rich and deep: It is hard to imagine a woman so firm in her beliefs that she would stand up against those in her community. That sense of strength is compelling and intriguing, giving the book a powerful impact.\u2014Kathleen Coughlin Hefley, Longmont, CO It&amp;#039;s rare for an historical novel to be so accurate without being dry!\u2014Amanda Hevener, Akron, OH  Nonfiction Winner: Rebecca Dana, Jujitsu Rabbi and the Godless Blonde Dana&amp;#039;s prose is hilarious and self-effacing. She juxtaposes the Manhattan lifestyle of her day job (fashion week, posh parties) with life in Jewish Orthodox Brooklyn, where women must adhere to rigid standards of conduct and dress, showing both the happiness that comes from the tight community and the limitations these women face. Dana examines her own feelings of being torn between her Jewish roots and the easy, thoughtless life that waits on the other side of the city. Jujitsu Rabbi and the Godless Blonde is part personal memoir, part in-depth analysis and critique of a sect of Judaism, making for a multidimensional and thought-provoking read.\u2014Rose Phillips, Columbus, OH Any memoir that starts with a jujitsu fight scene\u2014especially one between a twenty-something Carrie Bradshaw-wannabe and an Orthodox rabbi who is in the midst of a crisis of faith\u2014is going to get my attention. The event that started Dana on her unusual journey is lamentably common: Cheating boyfriend confesses, and trusting girlfriend finds herself homeless and heartbroken. But the predictability ends there, and Dana cleverly infuses even the most unremarkable moments with a fresh, engaging humor that reminds us that anyone&amp;#039;s life can be seen as extraordinary when examined through the right lens.\u2014Maren Olson, Los Angeles, CA If Eat, Pray, Love had a baby with Carrie Bradshaw and was adopted by Manhattan, it would be this book. Dana tells a story that is as much about a platonic love as it is about an affinity for New York City and all that it offers.\u2014Natalie Saar, Hollywood, CA This book warmly invites you into the author&amp;#039;s inner world and is a surprisingly philosophical and thought-provoking read. Oh\u2014and it&amp;#039;s hilarious!\u2014Melissa Taylor, San Diego, CA We fall down the rabbit hole of Dana&amp;#039;s disenchantment\u2014and enjoy every minute of it.\u2014Ashley Cambers, Perrysburg, OH Hilarious, incredible, engaging, relatable, and insightful. Dana&amp;#039;s experiences, as ridiculous as they seem at times, tell a story of personal growth, learning, and the odd turns life just happens to take sometimes.\u2014Heike Dempster, Miami, FL Forget Sex and the City; the true struggle of a single woman overcoming heartbreak is in Dana&amp;#039;s Jujitsu Rabbi and the Godless Blonde. What could have been a narrative of self-pity is instead a humorous, insightful look into how we can overcome loneliness simply by embracing the unknown.\u2014Maggie Malach, New York City "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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