award

The National Book Award honors the best in literature written by American citizens.  It is an award given “by writers for writers.”  The award categories have expanded and contracted since it started in 1950, at one point there were several categories, since 1996 there are four:  fiction, non-fiction, poetry and young people’s literature.  Publishers nominate their books, although a judge can suggest an absent book (note to authors, if your publisher doesn’t send in your book and the committee nominates it, fire your publisher).  The finalists are chosen by a committee of five independent judges (nominated by previous winners and nominees) and announced in October.  The judges for each category meet the day of the award dinner to decide the winner and he or she is announced during a fancy event at a literary location, this year last night on Wall Street (at least something joyous occurred there).  Here they are, run to your local independent bookstore to purchase them: Read the rest of this entry »