University of Richmond Professor Receives 2018 Book Award by The New England Society

July 19, 2018

University of Richmond religious studies and American studies professor Douglas Winiarski has been awarded a 2018 Book Award for nonfiction by The New England Society for his work, Darkness Falls on the Land of Light: Experiencing Religious Awakenings in Eighteenth-Century New England.

The annual NES Book Awards honor books of merit that celebrate New England and its culture. Awards were presented to four winners in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, art and photography, and specialty.

“The 2018 finalists represent excellence in New England-themed writing across a range of subjects and celebrate the culture, history, and individualism that are central to the New England character,” said New England Society's President Anna Bulkot.

This award is the third honor Winiarski has received for Darkness Falls on the Land of Light this year. In March, he was awarded the Bancroft Prize and was also named a finalist for The George Washington Prize.

“It’s heartening to learn that Darkness Falls is reaching an audience of readers outside of the academy,” said Winiarski. “Evangelical protestantism was a powerful and disruptive force in early American history, and the events in New England that I chronicle in the book are a crucial part of that story.”

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Founded in 1805, the New England Society is one of the oldest social and charitable organizations in the United States. To learn more visit: http://www.nesnyc.org.