i tried to be transparentand share it with them. and 6 million people that have put their trust in me . i had to explain to them i was going to continue trying to keep working and i worked from the hospital bed, continuing to try to run the state came out of it, thank god stronger than ever. >> to watch the rest of this program, visit our website, .. and search larry hogan or the title of his book , still standing . >> good evening and welcome to the 2020 kirkus prize award ceremony. i'm your host from kirkus reviews and i'm coming to you from the beautiful central publiclibrary in downtown austin texas . on a typical year this room would be filled with the brightest literary stars in america. the kirkus editors and staff in new york and around the country , publishers, agents

and of course readers clamoring to meet their favorite writers. the room would be allowed with laughter. you be able to feel the nervous energy of the finalists and thechampagne would be flowing . you see, the kirkus prize is not what you may imagine when you think of literary awards ceremony. there's no formal banquetfor assigned seating. it's a cocktail party where the glamour and energy all its own . last year when entertainment weekly wrote about the major literary awards they referred to the kirkus prize as the golden globe. it's fun and unpredictable tonight we want to share that energy with you at home and give you a glimpse of what it's like to attend the ceremony in person . to that end our editor at large megan labrise caught up with this year's finalists to connect with them as if we were all at a party together. view the full conversations on kirkus.com but here's a sneak peek.

>> in a typical year we would all be gathered at the austin public library for the ceremony and the cocktail party beforehand, everybody in their finery. i wanted to ask where can we find you as a finalist before the awards ceremony? for myself i will say you can find me by the mini dessert table trying to make a mini dessert into the size of a full-sized desert. where would we find you before the awards ceremony? >> i will attend the award ceremony in 2018 so i know the library has an amazing area that's pretty much last time. it was also close to the bar. that's where you're going to find me. >> what is the highest compliment a reader could pay ?

>> one of the biggest compliment i like to receive about the book is it's a weird one. but i like when readers tell me that at the end of it daily feel a little bit bereft. i like when the tell me they're concerned and worried about what their life looks like now or where they're going or what happened. when i read the books i'm drawn to our where the characters feel like they no longer belong to the author but there either my companion or my character and that's how i like to engage with the books. these things that i love when people write to me and say where are they,? what's going on with them course nothing is and on the very last page but that's like i think for me my favorite. >> after they and every year i host the annual post kirkus prize karaoke at a large private room in austin texas. would you come to karaoke yes, sir no if yes what would

you say? amy. >> absolutely and it would be hard to choose but something from the xanadu soundtrack. an old-school olivia newton john. i've just gotten back into rollerskating so it has to be xanadu . >> eric. >> i would be willing to say, i think you would want me to say. i love the 60s. i love chicago and later in the 60s i was a big fan of billy joel. i don't think he's schmaltzy at all. >> how did you feel the news and how you feel? >> i was fortunate to won this award before. and so because of that i think i recognize this was one of the few awards that to me at least that honors directly the integrity of the work. like, when i want a couple of

years back it was a for a book didn't sell i thought was the best work i have ever written from my level and just sort of the integrity of the actual work so because it's the sort of honor that was a big deal for me we cover that and i'm grateful because though this is the topic at the time, it feels like kirkus honors the work more for the writing. from a holistic view of it which is the subject matter and what the story is the writing of it i don't know if every award does that so much so for that i'm always honored whenever kirkus honors anything i'm part of. >> the kirkus prize recognizes remarkable achievement in writing and illustration. at recognition comes in the form of one of the richest literary awards inthe world . a few thousand dollars in

three categories. fiction, nonfiction young readers literature. in addition to $50,000 each winner is boarded a trophy. the trophy is a commissioned art piece created by a worker in london. every detail is handmade from the porcelain pages of the open book to the handblown glass at solid base. we create these each year as the gift of appreciation for the winners contribution to our industry, our art and our world. this year perhaps more than any other, the contribution of greek literature is profound. when things are dark, books offer us an ascii and when we need understanding books offer us a brilliant new perspective the greatest writing, the kind of writing we celebrate tonight gives us the opportunity to experience the world through another side.

it's one of the most powerful acts of empathy and when we needed the more that this year? in the conversation megan labrise had with affection finalists, a part of the conversation not seen in the short review we aired tonight there is a discussion of a compliment paid to abraham. an npr critic said her book will quote, destroy you. you meant that as a good thing. to me that phrase really captures the power of thisart . 20/20 done a fine job of destroying us in real life but the books that reach the level of kirkus prize finalists have a way of cutting through our external reality and touching the exact feelings that need attention. when destroys us, grief we feel an abstract finds the channel. the writers we celebrate tonight give all the complex feelings we share in 2020, loneliness, purpose, love ,

community and loss a safe place to be felt andexplored . last year our judges awarded the kirkus prize to the nickel boys by colson whitehead which went on to win the pulitzer prize, how we fight for our lives by citing jones who made that night unforgettable and new kid by jerry kraft which went on to become the firstgraphic novel in history to win the newberry . megan degrees with them to hear about that experience. let's take a listen. >> what was your experience since that night? >> total shock because you know, i knew kids liked the book but i didn't know it was critical acclaim for kids and i remember going on a plane, i felt like i was with kadir

nelson and andy thomas, it was like being brought up to join the avengers. then i said let me just jot down a few notes just in case i win so i wrote some stuff on a post-it note in my back pocket but before that it was just like sometimes graphic novels are not taken seriously so i got to the event and didn't even get a table. i was standing in the back with my editor. and i was filming it and expecting to post like, congratulations, here he is, i was going to text it to him and when they called my name it was very surreal. >> i was standing by you when you were announced as the winner and it remains oneof my very favorite memories . what was that experience like for you? >> is pretty overwhelming.

it happened to be about the prize and the texas book festival were halfway into the book festival so that's also kind of a surreal experience where you're on one mood your swept into the glamour and the glitz you want a glass of champagne and all that kind of an awards ceremony. >> you joined us in austin you're so i wanted to ask you received the news. >> is like a rooftop penthouse or something. >> something that might be recognized so and celebrating writing was awesome and i was glad to be part of that process and i remember going home to the hotel to work

hand in because i needed to get paid and i ran out of money so i was working for kirkus and i wanted to finish my book so i can pay my mortgage. i did get in on time so it's a victory for working and also hanging out withgreat people . and the year before i could make it because i was in germany for the nickel boys so like career was cut short. i came back to new york and spend time with them. at the awards, i went to see parasite, i wanted to pick me up apparently and everything's terrible so i went down and i walked down with my son. you want what? so you know, i so need

associated with working hard with other writers doing their best being recognized and my own work being recognized, you never know how it's going to turn out. you have ups and house and suddenly other people appreciate as much as you do and i felt very lucky so most times, both kirkus nights have been memorable. in different ways so i feel very fortunate. >> did you need any encouragement or congratulations or advice for the finalists? >> it's great and they appreciate it and keep going. it's a real vote of confidence at the kirkus. give it to you and just take that as a blessing thatis . i look forward to doing it next time. >> in terms of fight for this

year's winners, you have earned this joy and finalists as well, you've earned this joy. even beyond the pandemic i think it can be difficult to like metabolize the career miracle. but if we're lucky enough we get to experience you've earned this and i know everything, all little and grief and pain that is happening, you can grant yourself time to do karaoke in your living room or get some press echo delivered or whatever. celebrated because as the three writers can tell you we just really don't know what's on the other side. i want you to be able to look back at half fond memories, think about the work you did inspired by this prize or the fun you had. >> i love site jones advice

to our finalists who metabolize this career miracle. just in case career miracle seems hyperbolic to you, i'd like to share some data that illustrates just how hard it is to be named a finalist for the kirkus prize. for the 2020 prize, our critics read 30,000 308 fiction books. 2000 713 nonfiction books and 4524 books for young readers. that's a total of more than 10,000 books which means less 10.2 percent of the books we reviewed were named to our list of finalists for the curtis prize. every year the editors of kirkus reviews create a panel of judges. each panel is made up of one bookseller or library, one kirkus will.

to be eligible for the prize, must first earn a start review. and the judges select six judges in each category finalist and delivery to choose the winner. i want to welcome our finalists who are joining us live from around the world this evening. in america, london and as far as asia. our first award will be inthe category of your readers literature . the judges for the 2020 kirkus prize in young readers literature are author nikolai unit, librarian roxanne feldman and kirkus critic kyle luke off. the finalist for this years kirkus prize in young readers literature are taught when you land by elizabeth acevedo . our critics said every line is laced with betrayal and longing and teenagers

struggle with loving someone despite hisimperfections. a standing ovation . and every dead thing by derrick barnes illustrated by gordon james lays the foundation for black readers to go forth into the world to build with confidence and self-assurance. the title says it all. black boys are every good thing. fighting words by kimberly brubaker bradley. refusing to soft-pedal hard issues, the novel speaks with stringent honesty once hopeful. the girl and the ghost by anna althoff, ripping the heart wrenching and speaks to deeper themes of family, trauma andfriendship . a fascinatingpage turning tail . we are water protectors i

carol lindstrom, illustrated by michaela barrett. an inspiring call to action for all whocare about our interconnected planet . stamped by jason reynolds and eva kennedy. worthy of inclusion in every home and in curricula libraries everywhere. impressive and much-needed. as you may have noticed, this category includes two picture books, two middle grade books and 2 young adult 14 books, everyone is a triumph. congratulations to all of finalists. the winner of the 2020 kirkus prize for young readers literature is -- i have every good thing by derrick barnes and gordon james.

>> wow. thank you. holy moly. should we speak? [inaudible] >> yes! [inaudible] should we -- okay, so because i'm just over your hugging people. i just want to say thank you

everybody who read thebook , everybody who enjoyed the book. to my son gabriel was onthe cover, can you say hi to everybody ? >> i. >> my wife ingrid for putting up with me being gone when i finish these books and my daughter astrid who is not here at theater practice to my parents who have always put so much for me i just want this book to be out there in the world so that our boys and all the people who love them and people who don't even know can know that they are important and worthy and valued if they're not getting it at home, they will get that message through this book. if they're not getting it in the classroom it will get message through this book and i'm glad derek wrote it and i got a chance to work on.

>> i'm glad you went first. you all know. i'm in an emotional kind of cat . i just want to thank kirkus for always showing up. i want to thank all the judges. myife just walked in the door. she is a physician and she does covid testing twice a week. i'm so proud of her and we've been together for 20years . we would be up late 2:00 in the morning writing poetry and i never thought itwould lead to this . everybody's work, every single writer and illustrator in this category and who made it as afinalist, you're doing god's work . we need you right now. children that read your books

, i always think about legacy and the work that we create. you want to create something that lives long past the time you are on this planet earth and i think about, you want to create something that makes people feel good about themselves. you want to create something that allows folks to see the humanity in others and i think gordon and i did that with this book and i'm so glad we hooked up in 2016 and made the first cut and i think we're going to keep making books together if you don't mind . thank you all so very much. thank you for making my week. let's go georgia, let's go arizona . let's do it baby. >> everybody else in the category, i wish i was here to meet you all in person in person .

>> thank you all. >> congratulations derek and gordon. you are now the first two-time winners in the history of the kirkus prize. author nikolai unit prepare the statement aboutwhy they chose your . >> i am every good thing by derrick barnes. it is a beautiful uncompromising celebration of black voices and possibilities. they shine with vibrant colors and expressive years that range from thoughtful philosophers. [inaudible] child's outrageous demand to find themselves, and universal human rights, reinforced by

timeless artwork. i am every good thing is affirmation that spears thought with a powerful message . >> now i'd like to introduce the judges in the category of nonfiction . author lehman, bookseller brezinski and kirkus critic erica were about. the finalists for this years kirkus prize in nonfiction are a furious sky by eric j dolan. our critic called it a sweeping, absorbing history of nature'spower . fountains by rebecca giggs. thoughtful and ambitiously crafted appeal for the preservationof marine mammals .

the address book by deirdre mask, a standout book of sociological history and current affairs . world of wonders by aimee nezhukumatathil. the writing dazzles with the marvel of being fully alive. stakes is high by mychal denzel smith, an urgent and provocative work that deserves thebroadest possible audience . and cast by isabel wilkerson, a provocative book that exposesan american history in which few can take pride . to all of the finalists, we needed your voices this year. and you for sharing your talents with us and congratulations to all of you. the winner of the 2020 kirkus prize for nonfiction is -- stakes is high by mychal denzel smith.

>>. [laughter] wow. wow. i genuinely am just so excited to be a finalist. it's such an honor. i don't expect to win anything and it's been an honor to be a finalist among such an amazing group of authors who are doing incredible work. thank you to the judges. foreseeing something in this book . thank you to kirkus. $50,000 the day before my birthday is nothing to sneeze at.

that's a lot of money to be responsible with and ipromise i will let you down .it's genuinely just -- my editor katie o'donnell is the best editor in the wholeworld . she makes me abetter writer . this is as much or award as it is mine notmore so . my agent jessica penn was been with me for so many years and through so many iterations of my career. and who is, has just been a rock for me. parsons, my publicist has worked so hard on everything, miguel and lindsay , this book just doesn't exist without any of them. it's just such, i mean wow. it's such an honor.

i think i was worried about this book. i didn't know how it was going to be received. it kicked my. [bleep]writing it . it truly did. i'm a wholly different writer for having done it. and i'm really proud of and i just thought it will find its audience and if it flies under the radar of everyone else, that's fine but you will find that people transmit to find. it's truly an honor to have that work recognized by kirkus and by the judges who i can't thank enough. obviously the book deals with a lot of ongoing american political issues. and i hope people will sit with the ideas and i hope it

lives long past this 2020 election however long that goes on and that people are willing to sit and wrestle with the narrative, the ideas and the myth of america and we think better, we asked better questions. that is meaningful to people to have those questions percolating. to be able to do all the skillful work that's necessary to make the country better, i think we want to listen. i can't say thank you enough to everyone, all of my friends and loved ones who are watching, much love to you. and yeah, i guess i can pop this celebratory now andsmoke a good cigar or something . thank you. >> congratulations, mychal

denzel smith. jessica lehman prepared this statement from the judges about why theychose your book . >> life after the american dream by mychal denzil smith. in a tumultuous year charged with injustice and uncertainty anda distinct lack of readership , stakes is high is a perfect call to action need to pushbeyond 2020 . mychal denzil smith's razor-sharp manifesto demands us to question the inequities built into the individual's core, problematic concept of the american dream. it dares readers not just to rethink and reckon but to undo what racism , hetero patriarchy and state sanctioned suffering have brought on our society. each impassioned sentence is meticulously craft as the

author argues that we are the change we've been waiting for and our direct communicable actions might be the only way to move towards a more progressive, incisive and inclusive future. with not a word wasted, smith delivers the book of our very fraught moment. >> and now for the final category of the night, here are the judges for the kirkus prize in fiction. author chang ray lee, bookseller, veronica santiago and kirkus critic amy leiter. the finalists for the 2020 kirkus prize in fiction are black sunday by tola rotimi abraham. twin sisters adrift in a

perilous duplicitous world learn thatonly the wise survive , formidable debut. the lying lights of adults by ellen a ferrante translated by ann goldstein. an inhospitable society, ferrante's formula works again. luster by raven leilani, sharppropellant and a whole lot of fun . fiebre tropical by juliana delgado lopera. a rich, deeply felt novel about family ties, immigration, sexual longing, faith and desire simultaneously raw and luminous . deacon king kong by james smith fry, a comic opera set to the music of life. and shuggie bain by douglas

stewart. you'll never forget shuggie bain. scene by scene this book is a masterpiece . congratulations to all of the finalists . you've touched so many people with your work this year. the winner of the 2020 kirkus prize for fiction is -- luster by raven leilani. >> ally god. thank you. this is deeply surreal. thank you so much. thank you kirkus. thank you. this is wildto be in the company of such amazing writers . who cares so much about their craft. it really means so much tome to take up the space . i want to thank first my mom. this has been an interesting

year for us. we had a lot of loss but i want you to know you're the reason i had the nerve to do this, to try to do this and to write this book and to be as honest as icould on this page . i appreciate and thank my family for being the kind of people who made art so worthwhile. i appreciate all the mentors and friends that i had who pushed me and challenged me in this. when i felt that it was going wrong and when i had to throw thingsaway , it's a real act of faith but it tends to always be and i appreciate everyone who stood by me while i was trying to get up the courageto do this thing . i appreciate my people at fsc and try it.

i you for helping me usher this book into the world. it's just been so real but the most special firsttime around . thanks for reading my faith and for engaging the framework and engaging the surreal dream. thank you to the writers who've lifted me up. so much of this work is solitary and invisible work and wouldn't be here if i hadn't had that community and support. thank you to everyone for supporting this book. thank you. >> congratulations raven. you are officially the youngest writer to ever win the kirkus prize.

chang lee prepared a statement from the judges about why you're was selected as this year's winter . >> luster by raven leilani. raven leilani's debut novel takes off with a bang never lets up, offering an exuberant impulsive literary roller coaster ride with unpredictable twists and turns, dips and sores . with the unapologetically bold badass young black woman at the books center, raven leilani creates an unfamiliar unforgettable character whose agency is as acceptable as the urgency with which her story unfolds. she tackles gender, class, sex and power with nuance and a generous spirit and keen eye for revelatory details breaking up eye-opening novel that is candid and compassionate, dangerous and disarmingly original. emotionally raw and

virtuosity we polished, luster feels like both a story that will stand the test of time but all we need right now. >> congratulations to all of tonight's winners. the kirkus prize would not exist without her simon and mark winkleman, the authors of kirkus reviews. i'd also like to thank all our judges as well as editors and staff at kirkus. thank you also to the austin public library for sharing the space with us tonight in our productionteam . before we go, i'd like to take a moment to recognize that while tonight is a night for celebration, many in our community are still suffering from the effects of covid-19. please consider donating two independent booksellers and furloughed bookstore employees battling economic hardship through the industry charitable foundation to

support writers tonight you can donate to the authors fund which is providing assistance to writers who have experienced income loss due to covid-19. find links to these resources as well as all conversations with last year's winners this year's finalists by following the link on thebottom of your screen . you for joining us. good night. >> you are watching book tv on c-span2 every weekend with the latest nonfiction books and authors. book tv on c-span2, created by america's cable television companies. we provide both the public service . >> recently on a weekly author interview programs "after words", dinesh d'souza

offers his thoughts on the new face of socialism. >> i tried to diagnose this new type of socialism, identity socialism which is a marriage of classic socialism and identity politics . think of classic socialism as a strategy marxian division between therich and poor , loosely speaking is classified. with for the modern american socialist left, divide in society is not just that. it's also a race divide, black against white. it's a gendered, male and female. it's a sexual orientation divide, straight against gay and transgender and it's an immigration divide, legal against illegal so while one may say marx was trying to cry her up society to groups, the left is trying to slice society into a cross the lines. why are they doing this?

they're doing this because they think if we divide society in these eight different ways, we can assemble a majority coalition of aggrieved victim groups that can come together and then sort of take on everybody else so they are trying to get to 51 percent in the firm belief that democracy itself will then legitimize them looting and oppressing the other 49 percent. this is what they call democratic socialism to me is a form of gangsterism . >> dinesh d'souza new book is called the united states of socialism. click on the "after words" tab to view this and other episodes of "after words". >> you are watching book tv on c-span2, television for serious readers . your programs to look out for tonight on our author interview programs "after words".

catherine flowers reflects on her efforts to improve water and sanitation conditions in rural areasacross america . an investigative journalist cheryl is. thoughts on the difference between censorship and journalism foods ceo john talked about his leadership. find more schedule information booktv.org or check yourprogram guide . >> .. of the european union and transatlantic relations. ambassador ischinger joined the german foreign service in 1975 conservatives deputy foreign minister and as director of policy planning and political directorf