National Book Award winners include at least one upset victory
If the National Book Award is the Oscars of the publishing world, then Jesmyn Ward is best actress.
In what some have described an upset victory, Ms. Ward鈥檚 鈥淪alvage the Bones,鈥� won the National Book Award for fiction. The novel is a grim tale about a community devastated by Hurricane Katrina. In it, 14-year-old narrator Esch describes the 12 days leading up to the catastrophic hurricane. 鈥淣arator Esch has read 'As I Lay Dying,' and echoes of Faulkner's black comedy resonate throughout,鈥� writes the Monitor鈥檚 Yvonne Zipp. 鈥淎s the storm approaches, the Batiste family's story takes on the resonance of one of the Greek myths Esch has studied in class.鈥�
In her acceptance speech, Ward talked about her deceased brother, saying "my first stories were attempts to honor my brother," and 鈥渕y journey has just begun."
In addition to widespread recognition and a sure boost in book sales, Ward receives $10,000.
A black-tie ceremony not entirely unlike the Oscars, the 62nd annual National Book Awards were held in Cipriani Wall Street, a luxurious Manhattan landmark known for its gilded Greek revival architecture. Actor and author John Lithgow hosted the event.
The prize for Young People鈥檚 Literature received special attention this year after author Lauren Myracle was erroneously listed as a nominee for her novel, 鈥淪hine,鈥� and then asked to withdraw her name. The award was ultimately granted to Thanhhai Lai鈥檚 鈥淚nside Out & Back Again,鈥� about Ha, a 10-year-old Vietnamese girl who is forced to leave her Saigon home for foreign Alabama when the Vietnam War reaches her shores. Monitor reviewer Augusta Scattergood called the book "the classic immigration tale, powerfully and beautifully shared by an authentic narrator who lived the story."
In other categories, Stephen Greenblatt鈥檚 鈥淭he Swerve: How the World Became Modern,鈥� which "a dramatic account of the Renassance era rediscovery of the Latin poet Lucretius,鈥� won for nonfiction.聽
The poetry prize went to Nikki Finney鈥檚 鈥淗ead Off & Split,鈥� 鈥渁n impassioned summation of African-American history,鈥� .
The National Book Awards are awarded in four categories for literature published in the current year. They were established in 1950 鈥渢o celebrate the best of American literature."
Husna Haq is a Monitor correspondent.
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