Tattered Essence

The Heinrich Heine Prize is the latest literary award announced.

Israeli author Amos Oz has won the 2008 Heinrich Heine Prize. It has an award of 50,000 euros (about $79,000). It is sponsored by the city of Duesseldorf, Germany, which is the poet’s birthplace.

The jury selected Oz because of his literary creativity, political sensibility and humanistic engagement.

Oz will accept the award on December 13, which will be Heine’s 211th birthday.