Joanna Dee Das, an associate professor of performing arts in WashU Arts & Sciences, has won the 2026 Book Award from the International Society for the Study of Musicals.
Das received the honor for “Faith, Family and Flag: Branson Entertainment and the Idea of America.” The book explores the history of Branson, Mo., and how its rise as a mecca for wholesome entertainment — welcoming more than 10 million visitors each year — embodies a particular vision of the American dream.
“Faith, Family and Flag” also has been short-listed for the Susanne M. Glasscock Book Prize. Organized by the Texas A&M College of Arts & Sciences, the prize honors outstanding, original interdisciplinary research in the humanities that appeals to both academic and wider audiences. The winner will be announced this fall.
“With vivid prose and original research, Das shows how performance, tourism, religion, patriotism and free enterprise made modern conservatism feel intimate, joyful and commonsensical,” writes the shortlisting committee. “It is public humanities at its best: serious, accessible and unexpectedly illuminating.”
On Wednesday, Aug. 19, Das will discuss “Faith, Family and Flag” for the Books and Bagels series, co-sponsored by the St. Louis County Library and the St. Louis Jewish Community Center. The event will take place at the library’s Clark Family Branch, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd. Doors open for light brunch at 10 a.m.; the talk will begin at 11 a.m. For more information, visit the library’s website.
