SOMERSET, NJ, UNITED STATES, January 22, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The 2026 Independent Press Award recognized “Lost Roots: Family, Identity, and Abandoned Ancestry” by Karl von Loewe in the category of Biography: Historical as a distinguished favorite.
The competition is judged by experts from different aspects of the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, designers, booksellers, librarians and professional copywriters. Winners and distinguished favorites are based on overall excellence.
“Lost Roots: Family, Identity, and Abandoned Ancestry” is a powerful, deeply researched memoir about migration, family secrets, and the search for identity across generations.
“Lost Roots” is a personal reconstruction of family history shaped by displacement, silence, and resilience. Drawing on archives, memory, and inherited stories, Karl von Loewe traces the journeys that shaped his father and grandparents as political upheavals shifted borders around them. What begins as a search for origin becomes a larger exploration of identity, belonging, and the hidden emotional legacies passed through generations.
A blend of memoir and historical reflection, “Lost Roots” will resonate with readers of migration stories, European history, and personal narratives that connect individual memories with global events.
In 2026, the INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD saw a large participation from well established authors and publishers across the globe, including those residing in Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States. Authors such as Brad Feld, Judith Briles, Tony Jeton Selimi, Michael Pronko, Jack Fritscher, PhD, Nate Regier, PhD, Lawrence Kane & Kris Wilder, Greg Broadmore and Miriam Udel were among the winners list chosen from thousands of entries.
Publishing houses included Forbes Books, Friesen Press, Historium Press, Johns Hopkins University Press, Mad Cave Studios, Northwestern University Press, Princeton University Press, She Writes Press, The History Press, and University of California Press.
“The 2026 INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD recipients reflect the incredible momentum within the independent sector,” stated Gabrielle Olczak, INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD President and Award Sponsor. “Independent voices are no longer just an alternative; they are leading the way in literary innovation. By highlighting these winners, we are celebrating a global community that refuses to be sidelined and continues to set new benchmarks for excellence.”
For more information please visit independentpressaward.com; and to view this year’s list of IPA Distinguished Favorites, please visit:
https://www.independentpressaward.com/2026-favorites
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Karl von Loewe grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Having earned a Ph.D. in history, during his career in the academic world Karl von Loewe’s book and articles were published in the United States, Canada and Europe. He taught history at the college level for a decade before becoming a Realtor. He was a successful salesperson, trainer and manager and was active in leadership and governance. As a trained mediator and arbitrator, he resolved monetary conflicts and professional standards issues involving Realtors. He has lived and travelled widely in Russia and eastern Europe as a student, researcher and genealogist. His many publications include not only academic articles, but most recently studies in family genealogy. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, Judy.
Karl’s training and experience as an historian and family genealogist shine through in his newly-published book, Lost Roots: Family, Identity, and Abandoned Ancestry, a revealing saga of a family in the most troubled times and nations of the twentieth century as they abandon their ancestry.
ABOUT THE AWARD
The Independent Press Award (IPA) is a prestigious annual book awards program specifically designed to honor excellence in the independent publishing community. It is open to self-published authors, small presses, and university presses worldwide. The Independent Press Award is announced every spring and is open to independent authors and publishers.
The fall book competition, NYC Big Book Award, https://www.nycbigbookaward.com/ permits all authors and publishers, including the big five publishers, to submit their books for competition.
Join us at the Awards Dinner & Ceremony on April 25th to celebrate the recipients of both programs as they receive their awards on stage. The ceremony is part of the BookCAMP event, a publishing industry conference held in the New York metro area, April 24-26, 2026, https://www.independentpressaward.com/ipabookcamp.
Gabby Olczak
Independent Press Award
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