Christopher Ondaatje (brother of writer Michael) is endowing a new writing prize to be given annually to the book published in the Commonwealth or Ireland that best evokes a “sense of place.” Ondaatje: “These prizes are important if they are unique or innovative and they spur enthusiasm by writers so that they will strive for it,” Ondaatje says. “It is also good for the book business and the literary world that there is a new prize that generates interest. Finally, it is good for the Royal Society because they are doing something new for them.”