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The Boy Who Wanted Wings Wins the IPPY Book Award

On May 30, 2017, James Conroyd Martin collected a Gold Medal IPPY at the Copacabana in New York City.

The IPPY awards are conducted each year by the Independent Publisher Book Awards, an organization that honors independently published books from around the world, including those from university presses.

The Boy Who Wanted Wings captured the gold in the Military/Wartime category.

Martin Awarded Gold Medal by American Institute of Polish Culture

On January 27th, 2007, in a splendid evening of entertainment, novelist James Conroyd Martin was awarded a gold medal by The American Institute of Polish Culture. Martin was honored “for promotion of Polish history and culture.” In the presentation of the medal, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, founder and president of the institute, cited Martin’s books as “extraordinarily beautiful and insightful.”

The theme for the institute’s 35th International Polonaise Ball, held at The Surf Club in Miami, was “400 Years of Jamestown,” celebrating the important contributions of Polish noblemen and artisans to the colony. The evening included the Keherwin Indian dancers, as well traditional folk dancing by New York’s Polish American Folk Dance Company.

Also receiving awards were Thaddeus Piotrowski (The Polish Deportees of World War II) and the writing team of Lynn Olson and Stanley Cloud (A Question of Honor). All considered themselves in good company because past recipients of the institute’s gold medal include Lech Walesa, director Jerzy Hoffman, Senator Barbara Mikulski, as well as writers James Michener, Jerzy Kosinski, and Norman Davies.