Shipwrights is home to the Conrad-Nabokov Prize, an award given every three issues to the most impressive second-language poet, fiction writer, or essayist who submits work to Shipwrights during that period. The final decision is made by a guest judge, from a short list compiled by the editorial staff.

Nanna Brickman of Stockholm, Sweden was the winner of Shipwrights’ first Conrad-Nabokov Award, in May 2009. The judge of the first Conrad-Nobakov Award was the esteemed Janet Burroway. 

Photo: Nanna Brickman and Janet Burroway, after Nanna received the award

The editors of Shipwrights short-listed writers from our first three issues. The final decision was then made by Ms. Burroway. On reading the six short-listed texts, she wrote, "This is hard! There is truly enough talent here to merit six prizes." She also said, "It's hard to believe that these authors are writing in English as a second language, for all of them have superior command of it." Ms. Burroway is among the most respected writing pedagogues in the world, as well as being a fine author herself, and we are exceedingly grateful for her participation as final judge.

Ms. Brickman won for her short story "The Tail Slates," as well as her poems "Couples Only" and "Mountain View Village." The Conrad-Nabokov Award runner-up was Jesper Fink of Copenhagen, Denmark for his short story "Rot." The other writers short-listed for the award were: Jenny Karlsson, J.K. Mabin, Katarina Graah-Hagelbäck, and Emma Gustafsson.