Friday, March 18
Dylan author of the year? No
Bob Dylan will find out tonight whether the nation's literary critics really, really like him. His "Chronicles, Vol. 1", which I read earlier this year and quite enjoyed, was among the nominees for a National Book Critics Circle award in biography/autobiography. His competition included two acclaimed best sellers: Ron Chernow's biography of Alexander Hamilton and Stephen Greenblatt's biography of Shakespeare, "Will in the World." Also nominated were John Guy's "Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart" and "De Kooning: An American Master," by Mark Stevens and Annalyn Swan.
In the fiction category, Philip Roth was among the finalists for "The Plot Against America," (which I also read recently) a story about the United States under a presidency of Charles Lindbergh. I haven't read any of the other fiction finalists: Marilynne Robinson's "Gilead"; Edwidge Danticat's "The Dew Breaker"; and two British releases, Alan Hollinghurst's Booker Prize-winning "The Line of Beauty" and David Mitchell's "Cloud Atlas," a Booker finalist.
One of my favorite poets is in the running, too. Gary Snyder's "Danger on the Peaks is in the running. (Actually, by now Eastern time, they've probably announced the winners. [Back in a second while I go search the web]).
Here you go, actual news from the Edge of Nowhere: Gilead, Marilynne Robinson's poetic, modern-day testament of a dying Iowa preacher, won the National Book Critics Circle prize for fiction Friday night. Bob Dylan, a finalist for the biography/autobiography prize for his memoir Chronicles, Vol. 1, did not attend and did not win. The award was given to De Kooning: An American Master, by Mark Stevens and Annalyn Swan.
The National Book Critics Circle, founded in 1974, is a not-for-profit organization of about 600 book editors and critics. An NBCC award brings plenty of prestige, but no cash. I would be remiss if I didn't selfishly note I sometimes wonder if I'll get to put on some fancy duds and trek to NYC for something like this, someday. The dream of it, of course, keeps me moving, but admitting it makes me feel completely and totally ridiculous. Sigh. I know, I know: shut up and write.
In the fiction category, Philip Roth was among the finalists for "The Plot Against America," (which I also read recently) a story about the United States under a presidency of Charles Lindbergh. I haven't read any of the other fiction finalists: Marilynne Robinson's "Gilead"; Edwidge Danticat's "The Dew Breaker"; and two British releases, Alan Hollinghurst's Booker Prize-winning "The Line of Beauty" and David Mitchell's "Cloud Atlas," a Booker finalist.
One of my favorite poets is in the running, too. Gary Snyder's "Danger on the Peaks is in the running. (Actually, by now Eastern time, they've probably announced the winners. [Back in a second while I go search the web]).
Here you go, actual news from the Edge of Nowhere: Gilead, Marilynne Robinson's poetic, modern-day testament of a dying Iowa preacher, won the National Book Critics Circle prize for fiction Friday night. Bob Dylan, a finalist for the biography/autobiography prize for his memoir Chronicles, Vol. 1, did not attend and did not win. The award was given to De Kooning: An American Master, by Mark Stevens and Annalyn Swan.
The National Book Critics Circle, founded in 1974, is a not-for-profit organization of about 600 book editors and critics. An NBCC award brings plenty of prestige, but no cash. I would be remiss if I didn't selfishly note I sometimes wonder if I'll get to put on some fancy duds and trek to NYC for something like this, someday. The dream of it, of course, keeps me moving, but admitting it makes me feel completely and totally ridiculous. Sigh. I know, I know: shut up and write.
