10 Revered Writers Honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Off the Shelf By Off the Shelf Staff    |   Monday, February 15, 2016 In 2007, forty-seven years after the original publication of To Kill a Mockingbird, President George W. Bush awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, to Harper Lee for her monumental contribution to American literature. The award itself dates back to 1963 and recognizes “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.” As the 2015 recipients are honored today in a special ceremony, let’s celebrate some of the writers who have been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. READ MORE