1/6/2012

The Norwegian Nobel Institute

Henrik Ibsen s gata 51

0255 Oslo Norway

Dear Sirs:

As a citizen of the United States of America and as a recognized writer, teacher of humanities, history and English, I feel I am a qualified nominator for the Nobel Prize in Literature. I have taught students at all levels from elementary school through college. I am currently teaching at Albertus Magnus College. My courses have included Humanities, Political Philosophy, and History.  I have published three novels and am working on a fourth. I also served as a docent at the Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford, Connecticut. During my professional career, I have developed and directed staff development and training programs for a large state agency.

I would like to nominate Tom Mach for his important work in literature entitled, Angels at Sunset. Angels at Sunset is the story of Jessica Radford Chandler. As Jessica’s life wanes to a close, she reflects on her years fighting for women’s suffrage. Angels at Sunset tells of the tremendous struggles of women fighting for their right to vote, the historical obstacles they overcame, as well as the personal sacrifices of those engaged in this struggle.

Mr. Mach deserves the nomination for the following reasons:

Angels at Sunset is set between the end of the Civil War in 1865 and the final adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment granting women the right to vote in 1920. During these years, two great forces fought for their rights. African-Americans needed to complete their struggle even after winning the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution.

Concurrently, engaged in a similar struggle, women sought the right to vote. Caught between these two powerful forces, Jessica is at times torn between her sympathies for African-Americans to complete their struggle and the battle for women to achieve their right to vote.

The Women’s Movement would polarize over two issues thus frustrating and weakening their movement. The reader learns of those led by Susan B Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton who advocated the “big picture,” a Constitutional Amendment to permit women the right to vote, and those women such as Lucy Stone and Julia Ward Howe who favored a more conservative incremental approach, such as amending individual state constitutions.

As one reads Jessica’s story, one is reminded that great victories in history do not come without a cost. Jessica’s personal sacrifices including the loss of a daughter and the loss of personal family love are some of the prices she paid for this victory. Angels at Sunset is another of the great stories of ordinary people who achieve great things at great personal cost. Thank you for your attention to this nomination. Please notify me if you will accept this nomination for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Most Sincerely,

Melvin C. Hathorn