find your programs at booktv.org. just type the author's name in the search bar at the top of the page. >> you are watching tv. for complete television schedule visit booktv.org. you can also follow along behind the scenes on social media @booktv on twitter, instagram and facebook. seventy-second nationalme book award coming with the random house building. have wi-fi that won't quit and in 5g. that my friend is true l.a. ship. okay kidding aside, as you can all see the pandemic is making this the second fully virtual. >> get that charles barkley

plays the other nba? the national basketball association? you are all haters that impressive and should have got me on saturday night live. anyway i'm excited were all gathered this evening with the biggest night to cellmate the power of the written word the brightest most game changing talent in the industry. excuse me as i host/nominee i am all about that. wait the producers in my ear talking to me. i am not nominated this evening? are you kidding me? are you sure? do you know what there's still time for me too get nominated and be a dark force winner tonight. ♪ve ♪ okay check out this exit for my bucket which i write about l.a. ship. basically white guilt link

always has a sob story. constant cause withdrawn without realizing she's a key architect of the spectacle that is her life. always getting fired you go because you make smoothies to take home. need to brag, which she had written out. sorry the producer again they are telling me that also not true . let's focus on the matter at hand. most of the crusher might gym teacher don't crush my journey but allow me too find help tap into creativity.

my escape for the mundane i know i'm not the only one, right? everyone close your eyes for second now think about the first book that changed you. now to write to remember how the pages smiled. because of the brand-new copy you got from the bookstore. now, imagine its weight in your hand. and finally just could not wait until your parent/teacher, sibling or friend what you justea read. now open your eyes.

dressing up as fun, you get the case of involving tonight is what it's all about. it's what truly matters. i should know on the author of three books in the publisher of tiny decorations books dedicated to elbowing the voices of women, people of color books are might save space mypy happy place means all the nominees in my happy place. i am thrilled to be here tonight celebrating all the nominees you are the inspiration for so many

writers. contribution you make a smile laugh cry and feel shows how the world is and what it can be. xmi submit my book and get myself a nomination. let's go get the show on the road. it's also the biggest fundraiser to nonprofit organization they need your support. $12000 is a little rich for my blood let's clock out at 150.

hey everybody let's see your hands thank you so much for being here with us tonight. your skin looks flawless everyone has good internet. over the course of the night the first time achievement award is a literary award for to the literary community which is good for a person is shown a remarkable dedication for books and reading. lester the foundation are the late simon & schuster publisher carolyn. other past t winners include in the american booksellers

association tonight honorary as exceptional interservice to libraries, books, and the literary community. honoring her tonight is ron charles he is a writer at the "washington post" rates of newsletter series called the title he had video book review. previously was the editor of the book section at the christian s science monitor. it is been honored by b the national book critics circle value for features of journalism in the american library association. check this out he's also served as a judge for fiction and since 2013 has hosted life of a poet. the interview series cosponsored please help me

welcome. [inaudible] >> thank you pearl once for each time i begin a new book is a really good chance this is the book i will fall in love with. who is not encouraged by the possibility of such love waiting for us the very next page? like no space by first heard ncnancy pearl when i heard her voice on the radio recommending books for npr. she was funny, she was warm and most of all she was enthusiastic but she immediately reminded me my firstug librarian through comedies and adventures around the world and across the galaxy came from experience after all someone entitled the girl discovers reading then discovers life she was rescued

from despair by books, libraries and librarians. not too much of an exaggeration to say reading save my s life. the young age she discovered books allowed her to find yourselves and escapein herself. she knew she wanted to be a librarian self-described rita holick from their involvement with books kept evolving. she began her career as a children's librarian in detroit and moved to the county library and into the seattle public library where she became executive director of the washington center of the book. embrace the whole population

fall of seattle read the same book exemplifies the breath of nancy's eviction and the power of literature. the program is replicated every state of america and around the world. a program based on the increasingly essential idea being reading and upper place to talk about a book is an opportunity for reading discussion to help the world a better place. what could be more necessary than the moment in our society feel empowered lee fractured and they find themselves latest battlegrounds for culture wars. too many people were there certain genes nancy writes out to encourage new worlds. with them experience beauty to understand myself better for the pure wonderment of it all. in 2004 nancy retired for post

at the center for the book and of those she's not appear to mockery a link about her success called book lust shoot on to publish more book lust book crush for childrenr and teens. in her first novel george and lizzie she also wrote book lust to go. recommend a book for travelers, vagabonds and dreamers. it's as book that demonstrates what emily dickinson meant when she said there is no free like a book to take us lands away. and perhaps that's been the thesis of all of nancy's works. so it understands how thirsty people are to find books they will love. and her vocation is inspired from good humor it's no coincidence she was chairman of the fiction committee

reminding is comic and novel is a work of art. nancy's voice on radio and activist for the bridal pleasure of reading she is not a guardian of the treasures she is a farmer of the orchard. i've never wavered she writes my belief being a librarian is one of the best and noblest careers anyone can have. intelligence and delight reading has always brought me pure joy. this kept for decades. the recipient of 2021 literary word outstanding service to the literary community, nancy

pearl. >> thank you ron for that lovely introduction. in terry gross is beyond wonderful. we got to be the age i am there are so many people who made a difference in your life. people who help me become the person i am today. here are just a few my husband joe who is made my reading life possible. miss francis whitehead at children's library in the detroit public library who took this miserably unhappy and gave me the world through the book she recommended. including the hobbits, lois

lenski's strawberry girl, and esther forbes johnny tremaine. mms. whitehead showed me books are places you can both find your self and loseel yourself. i knew when i was ten wanted to be a laboring just like ms. whitehead so i can get the other children what she gave me. ms. glenn that elementary school librarian who made sure i read helen gannon's, my father's dragon eleanor cameron's the wonderful flight to the mushroom planet. tracy who hired me too work at the yorktown alley bookstore in tulsawnn oklahoma. by creating a job for me that required me too do what i loved and did best talking about books and the pleasures of reading and notng having to do anything i was not good at which was basically everything

else. crag gave me the time, space and encouragement to create the seattle read the same book program which is grown throughout the world into all of of those one city one book projects. gary luke's and editors sasquatch books here in seattle who called me one day and asked me too write a book about good books to read and named it book lust. mark apollo that i brain action figure thus immortalizing me and what i'm pretty sure is non- biodegradable plastic. sunshinera a cultural affairs officer at the u.s. embassy in sarajevo who came up with the idea of having all the teenagers in the country, whether they be muslim, croat or serb read and discuss sherman alexi's absolutely

true diary of a part-time indian. and she asked me too come to boston and to work with librarians and teachers who would be discussing this book with those teens. my experience there solidified my belief that reading and then discussing a book can be a small but important step to file fractured nation or a community in conflict. and lastly i want to thank all the writers, editors and publishers whose books have given me so m much joy through the years but i am i believe the first librarian to win this award to such essential work for their communities. what is the foundational principles of the public library is that it is a truly egalitarian institution available free to everyone.

regardless of ethnicity, race, religion, age or economic status. and as such it is a democratizing and unifying force in society which is needed now more than ever before. thank you for this great honor. >> congratulations and now back to our host. >> nancy has their own action figure. that is amazing. i love libraries, i go to them all the time. thank you for your wonderful work i bow down. his distinguished contribution to american letters. previous winners of the sort toni morrison, steven king,

and gwendolyn brooks. this honor is given to ryan who has over the course of their career or literary heritage their body of works nights honoring hers her book is an extraordinary impact in here to present i the metal. the novel synthesizes a pulitzer prize for fiction and numerous other awards. he's also the author of two other works of fiction the commission and the refugees. his book nothing ever dies vietnam the memoryry of war disparage the national book award for nonfiction he's a professor in the chair of english at the university of southern california and a recipient with great pleasure i want to welcome.

>> it is one of most inventive and fun predictable writers whose work i've had the pleasure of reading its real honor to have this opportunity to say a few words about to get international writer, an american writer books span all of them will always putting out there center their stories of diversity in the americas including those of asian descent. karen is been normally meaningful to me by discovering literature in the same year karen began publishing. as a college student wondering if a vietnamese refugee like me could be a writer in english somewhat like me could be part of america along comes karen to the ark of the rain forest and blows my mind.

but by america karen met more than just the united states of the ark of the rain forest put together magical realism in a story about environmental destruction shoot pursuit for the next 30 years. the movements of migrants of race relations the challenges of writing about history and memory from north america from japan to the united states. japanese much more attention karen's work implies this focus lends us in the united states not only to much of the world but also her third and

landmark novel which countless dissertation chapters have been written imagine los angeles as a sign of an apocalyptic moni of convergence caused by a gigantic orange moving from mexico to california bringing with it he got to read it toet see how many threads karen weaves together she is ambitious and one of things i most love and admire. the book of short pieces about japanese brazilians go to japan for low wage worker. featuring japanese-americans who work with the damage we do to each other into the world is also streaked with human satire as well as ultimately deep humanity and compassion. that's one reason work

inspired by the collective family archive which expands the 20th century including the internment of japanese americans. intermittently with a japanese-american event was an american event. karen's work will not allow us to forget that history. that is one reason why her masterpiece is for me, the great asian-american novel with asian in parentheses it is the great an american novel with asian americans in their history and politics was also at the heart the conviction found we can and must or just future in the literature imagination on the right are all important goal. played a role with an unwavering commitment to u

artistic vision giving us an distinguished contribution to american, karen congratulations on this richly deserved. >> to the board of directors of the national foundation chair david steinberger executive director andtito associate director, thank you for this gracious and profound honornd. thank you for your gracious introduction. including the illustrious houston and i to be here. i know i am here because of a small but mighty independent press, coffeehouse press and his visionary publisher. allen in the coffeehouse staff

in the world of publishing that makes intellectual andoc social influence the art of bookmakingin the love language and story. after what do you have next? very different you won't want it to which she said let us be the judge of that. sincee then i have published all of my books with coffeehouse. over the years that cap my books in print. best readers have access to my books i'm here because coffeehouse has envision the long distance of a writer's journey knowing books take time to be read and to be shared. coffeehouse understood small overtime would give authors like me a chance to grow in leadership. i have grown up as a writer

with american literary .ommunity where is asian america? it's an imagined space that recognizes immigration and participation of asian and pacific islander people in the american society and political life. initially this literature served as a grounding within american history. it has always been to the crossing of oceans. this navigation is not necessarily specific but colonialism, racism asian-americanca literature is at heart a literature of politics and resistance. for our community recognition tonight is significant especially this year posterior pandemic having twitter of

absurdity and the brutality of racial profiling and the provocation of anti-immigrant, anti- refugee, anti- muslim, anti- asian hatred. in such times, or i are writing intolerant and care. i'm also here because of the generosity and support of a broader shared community teachers across the world and most significantly colleagues, students, staff at the university of california who have provided with me for a home to research and rights. and i am here because my friend and family, close and extended, especially my sister and my creative husband and partner rinaldo have given me love and faith. manyel years ago my aunts took

me too visit, years later i would discover her wartime correspondence with her dear friend. i took for granted the connection of the family connections through the church and uc barkley into their wartime incarceration. they were proud this is both comical and sweet to me and meanwhile that kid in college had no idea. was the american writer of her generation. i name other writers it or of

these writers only was able to live by her craft. not that she was swimming in royalties, she was alone very modestly. in 1949 republished her first bookan the dancing tea cattle and other japanese folktales. this book read to me as a child have been the first of japanese folktales written in english. of these tales, one story that continues to resonate for me. in this story saves a giant turtle from bullying children returning it to the sea. when asked fishing the turtle will appear climbs onto and

travels to the bottom of the ocean. as elisa princess authors have a small jewel box if he wishes to return he must never open that box. well, perhaps you know the story. the turtlee maybe magical on his back we climb our destiny. perhaps what lies ahead is an adventure or an escape at the moment of our death. the vehicle of spaceship the responsibility of our journey

the exiles, the fortunes of lifen has set forth on the backs of immortal turtles to distant places. sometimes alternate rows are often the predicament of our mobility often celebrated but for many migrant laborers of the great per care date. often pondered the meaning of hiddenel box at secret drawer, the messy contradictions of life and the story of a journey indeed, the book. writers have remembered or imagined this journey

sometimes revealed extravagantly, comically or insanely violent. but the imagination is the only sane site we can play week satire and have plenty combat expect grief, anger, solace, reconciliation. : : reconciliation. his heart filled with confusion. curiosity, wonder, seeking answers will open his gifted box and reap the consequences. we discovered that writing what we think, turning ideas on the page can reconstruct ways of thinking. ideas are dangerous and transformative. writing them is creative work for which we are responsible, accountable. writing requires our constant

>> i thank all of you who assisted me through this need surgery. i have been truly blessed. [music] >> congratulationsnow back to our host, mimi robertson . >> wow, that feature was powerful. i almost. her hair was looking fine and i agree, writing you have to include integrity y. it's dangerous out there. and now i'd like to introduce the national book foundation board chair david steinberger . come on over. [applause] >> good evening and thank you cindy, we're glad to have you with us tonight as a host.

this is our second exclusively virtual national book awards and where joined by booklovers from around the world as we celebrate the best in literature. we're thrilled to recognize the power of powerful writing and of course the many readers whose lives are touched by books. to all those joining us today , welcome to the 72nd annual national book awards. i need to start by thanking the team at the national book foundation for your perseverance and dedication over the past yearhas been nothing short of extraordinary . thank you. the board of directors of the national book foundation are some of the most emitted and enthusiastic people i've ever had the opportunity to work with . an honor to serve this story institution alongsideeach of you . tonight we're coming to hear from the officers of penguin random house around and buy books as we should be, generously made available our board member.

thank you marcus and thank you penguin random house for hosting us tonight. i like to thank all those who have made not just this might but the year work of the national book foundation possible. we have a lot of people to thank and there's my privilege to be doing the thinking. thank you to our national book awards sponsors, penguin random house, amazon, apple, barnes and noble, google, harpercollins, the new york city mayor's office and simon and schuster. thank you to our national book award signature virtual table host and our virtual table host benjamin taylor books a million, cushman and wakefield , my fellow board members and also to g.i., thank you very muchthe new york times, scholastic , ww

norton and company. thank you to our nonprofit hosts bloomsbury, bookshop, candlewick, charles and deborah wright, grove atlantic, independent publishers, princeton university press, yale university press and video books and thank you for your individual supporters. it's your donation that makes this work day in and day out possible. this is not just an awards show, it's the largest source of funding for the work of the national book foundation. and the foundation's mission and it is a great mission ouis to celebrate the best literature in america, expand its audience and ensure that books at a prominent place in american culture. the foundations work ensures children and families in

housing communities across the country have access to free high-quality books, more than 1.6 million books today q. the foundations work as adult caregivers opportunities to cultivate their love of reading and offers readers of all ages when access to thought-provoking literature and renowned authors and thinkers of today. to continue this work we need your help. as of now we've raised more than $550,000 towards our goal of $650,000. if you're watching tonight if you believe like we do that books matter, they can change minds and change lives we hope that you will make a generous donation in support of our work at national book.org/awards. we cannot do it without your support . and now i cannot be more excited to introduce you to a

new champion of this work. as many of you know our former executive director lisa lucas is publisher of shockey books. we congratulate lisa and we're gratified that she is actively involved as a member directors.rd of lisa's successor with dickie joined rsthe national book foundation in may of this year and itwasn't easy . she was in the middle of a pandemic but she's doing great . in addition to being a poet and a former national book awards judge ruth has run nonprofit arts organizations across the country with an eye not just towards artistic excellence but also towards making a difference to people of all backgrounds and circumstances including many who may otherwise be overlooked. she is a big believer in big dreams and we could not be happier to have her at the helm of the national book

foundation. before we hear directly from ruth, let's take a look at ourwork and why we do it . >> since 1950 national book awards celebrated the best books in the united states and help to reach more readers. >> this year's winner is interior chinatown . >> i feel like i left my body. i just went completely now with shock. i definitely spoke from the heart and then also forgot to thank my family was sitting right here with my parents, that's one thing that i found when i became a 535 many years ago, oh, someone's reading my work. i had no idea and all of a sudden there are people in new york i felt like in some way i was connected to now. >> the foundation has formed our work, awards and honors, education and access, and

then support. on all the staff at the national book foundation and in continuing to do the important work of connecting readers time that it matters more than ever. one of the first ways that we start is it encourages families and the children in their lives to talk about reading stories rather than talk about the movie for a sports program. >> these facilities have huge barriers to access for books. it was a three-year program designed to have conversations around books that illuminated mass incarceration in our country and that really gave rainbows into this conversation through that we continued our partnership to bring books to people who are incarcerated in every corner of the

country. >> what i'm excited about is things that we really will bring folks some joints. i think there's freedom a book and sometimes it's easier to forget that. what we really do is expand community. the environments connect children and families with free high-quality and diverse books. >> last year we were able to get 4500 books this year we have 7000 books. being able to allow children to give books that often times have pictures of their likeness and choose any book that they like, as many books as they want.build their own library. the foundation was created to ed

address a crisis in our culture and support organizations navigating the pandemic. it's a partnership between the national bookfoundation and academy of poets . with the support of andrew mellon foundation. the fall of 2021 we announced the second round of support which will distribute $4.3 million in the second roundof emergency funding . >> books offer an opportunity to think about our shared humanity. >> it's our truth, it's where we can get the places we can't get otherwise. >>. [inaudible] >> the books that we love are just books that we chose ourselves. they are books other people chose for us. >> on a fundamental level the national book foundation ohas

created something, some belonging for readers everywhere and to help readers have extraordinary experiences with books. >> how do people do it? i don'tknow how people do this . next, have a good day. >> thank you so much david for your leadership and introduction. i am thrilled to be here for my gift ever national book awards as executive director. welcome to the audience joining us from new york and austin and seattle, my hometown in north carolina. we have viewers tonight from all over the world from charlottesville virginia to santiago chile to beijing china. i'm grateful for the technology that allows us to gather and celebrate literature together.

if there were ever a time thatóextraordinaryexperiences books provide it has been these past 20 months . through each greek and each joy of this historic time there have been books. books that inspire, booksthat comforts, books that uchange how we see the world and help us imagine new possibilities . we are so thankful for the efforts of the countless publishing teens, booksellers like arian, teachers, writers and advocates have brought us the books that expand and transform our lives. i'm delighted together tonight to celebrate the 25 extraordinary books that are finalists rethis year. to select he's 25 books from 1800 submitted books our esteemed panel of judges who you can see here read and read and read and read. then they continue to meet on zoom through the judging price process and they thought deeply and discussed thoroughly and read some

more. were grateful for their tremendous devotion to a literature, or their heart and humor and all the time they have given to this process. i'm in all of their dedication. as david mentioned i had the great fortune of being a judge in 2019 so even that inside vantage point the awards process looks nearly effortless. i know now that bis due to the incredible work of the national book foundation staff and interns, meredith andrews, andy donnelly, natalie greene, taylor michael, colonial, jordan smith, made can see, obadiah williams mcbride and all of this year's team to help the awards and all our work come to life. thank you especially to anna donovan, the associate director of the national book awards and anna has fabulously. the awards for four years and in true form when i had longer thank you prepared she cut for time . thank you anna for keeping us on track and making tonight a reality. i hoped i felt tremendously

grateful lto work with such an incredible community to celebrate reading and books . omi cannot have reached for a more wonderful welcome than the one i received from the board of directors, your leadership and partnership has been extraordinary. thank you to our day dinner committee eventhough there was not a dinner have been so enthusiastic . thank you to the national book foundation's book counsel for your energy and ideas and support. thankyou to our partners in making this event happened . adams kwires and shields. our video team jake bello and brian crimmins and they're really useful media team taking this all possible especially ben winkler, emily kornblum and derek lasko. you are all design and technology wizards and we know you also love this event . it shows. thank you for the magic of getting all theauthorities on screen together tonight . i can't wait to hear who the

winners are and i imagine are finalists the same way. let's take a sneak into tthe green rooms to say hello to our finalists. for the second suite are transitive literature award was recorded a few hours ago there waiting at us from around the world. many of these finalists are just now beginning or beginning again to have in-person events with readers and see the impact of their work on people everywhere. finalists , please remember those moments . they're just a start. your impact will continue to be felt beyond these awards tonight every time someone connects with your book in the monthsand years and decades to come . congratulations to all of you and thank you for your books and your words. we are gathered tonight to celebrate the power and importance of books in our lives and in our world. as tonight's finalists demonstrate books don't just reflect our humanity. books remind us that humanity

is shared. reading gives us an experience that is simultaneously unmitigated, in-depth, personal and universal. we need books and the thinking and learning and empathy that reading brings . ngbooks have open minds. that's why books can be and why books are currently being challenged. yet this is also precisely why this matter geand why it feels especially important to celebrate literature, a the voices of authors and champion reading. what a gift tonight is because books are most meaningful and most life-affirming when shared. with friends and family, neighbors and colleagues, at bookstores and libraries, over dinner tables and soon screens. reading offers opportunity for us to connect to new ideas and even difficult conversations .

tonight we celebrate the community of readers and our shared commitment to create a culture of belonging in books in every corner of our country. thank you to all gathered here tonight. we are all part of this work. a very simple idea thatbooks are for everyone . phoebe, thank you so much and back to you. >> snaps for ruth. you need to write my speeches now on. let's check in with our audience room. how are you all doing? are you still awake, still having fun? are you inspired, going to go buy more books? by my book? no? are you excited for the announcement of thenational book awards ? thank you for being here tonight. the national book awards are exciting because until the moment the title of the winner leaves the judges

mouth all the five circuit panel judges don't know the decision, not the board, not staff , not me either. everyone is hearing about it at the same time for the first time. each category will be announced by the chair of the respective category in reverse alphabetical order. these categories are young people's literature,poetry , nonfiction and fiction. so you know we are aboutto go to young people's literature . it is some ofthe most exciting writing out there . tonight and ed now the national book awards for young people's literature . >> books for young leaders has the power to entertain educate and inspire. this year's finalists for the national book award for young people's literature address gender and sexual identity, race and politics and our own personal mythology.

across illustration and prose these books offer young people and connection to community and a reflection of their experiences. they revel in our imagination and the future we are celebrating. the panel for this year's national book award for young people's literature is catherine mercer, director of the center for the study's of children's literature. >> here we are. it's been breathtaking, it's taken so long to get here and yet it's as joe we started meeting yesterday. what a privilege it is to participate in the 2021 national book awards and to foster a nation of readers by elevating excellence in new books published for young people. i want to thank ruth and anne

for their undying support. i want to thank my inestimable panel, leslie connor, tracy g and edu boy. having been recognized by the national tbook awards themselves they carry deep understanding about the cultural capitals of these awards as they put books in the hands a, hearts, the minds of young readers. they experienced the exuberant audiences and engaged people the national book award has brought to their books. we read, we talked, we talked and we read and we read some more and then we kept talking and reading and finally we are here with you tonight. pablo graced us with his wit and passion and storytelling, leslie shared the ambitions of each book and called out detailsof character narrative art . tracy asked us to look deeply , to understand not only what

it did but also what it could do. vivian and rick start discussions with a commitment to the transformative power of literature . i learned new ways of interrogating, appraising, appreciating books published for young people. i will never read and never teach the same ever again. you all. the finalists for the national book award for young people's literature . "the legend of auntie po", shing yin khor. last night at the telegraph club, malinda lo. dutton books for young readers /penguin random house. too bright to see, kyle lukoff, and i'll books for young readers/penguin random house."revolution in our time: the black panther partyb the people", kekla magoon, candlewick press and "me (moth)", amber mcbride,

macmillan publishers. and the national book award for young people's literature in 2021 goes to last night at the telegraphclub . malinda lo, dutton books for young readers, penguin random house. [music] >> malinda lo, last night at the telegraph club. done books for young readers, an imprint of penguin random house. it comes with sensuality, a sapphic romance plastic and against fear andintolerance . in lustrous detail malinda lo materializes white cast love story duringthe rise of 1950s mccarthyism . those exquisite pros contrasts lily's unhurried discovery of her sexuality against questions belonging

at the supper club. she beckons readers sentenced by restrained sentence into this incandescent novel of possibility. >> oh my god wow. wow. it has been an incredible experience to be part of the national book awards and first i want to say thank you to the judges, tracy, leslie, connor, i am so honored. last night at the telegraph club began as a short story and i want to thank my friend sondra mistermitchell for giving me the opportunity to write that ystory . my agents, for seeing the novel in that story and inspiring me to see it too. thank you to my editor andrew carr, working with you has been transformative and i am

so grateful to haveyou on my side . oh my god, thanks to my publisher julia strauss gable at sutton and everyone at penguin youngreaders . everyone at the agency. so many people have worked so hard behind the scenes to get this book in front of leader readers . parts of this novel are in chinese and i wouldn't have been able to write them b without the help of myparents and my aunt . mama and to my grandmother, you may not be in this world anymore but you are here nwith me in every book. to my wife amy. thank you for all the ways that you support me. i loveyou . and one more thing. when my first novel came out in 2009 was one of 27 young adult books about lgbtq

characters. this year hundreds of lgbtq why a books has been published. thegrowth has been incredible but the opposition has also grown . rules across the country are facing significant right-wing pressure to remove books about people of color, blgbtq people and especially transgender people from classrooms and libraries. i urge everyone of you watching to educate yourselves about your school boards and vote in your local elections. 2022 is coming and we need your support to keep our stories on the shelves. don't let them erase us. thank you. >> congratulations. and now back to our host dede robinson.

>> melinda, that speech was fire. do not let them erase us. we can all take that intoour lives and make things better. congratulations on your win . so next up is the national book award for translated literature. this award was added in 2018 and was the first award added in twodecades . the translated literature award as a global perspective on books from all over the world that are published here in the united states and now the national book award or translated literature. >> reading literature in translation is an active journey and discovery. wordstransport us . no plane ortrain required . . translated literature brings the world to us. the finalists for the national book award for translated literature were translated into english from

arabic, chinese, french and spanish. these extraordinary books are triumphs of collaboration that blends personal and politicalhistory . contemplate intimacy and alienation and expand to an ocean of the possible. the panel chairs were stephen snyder whose translation of the memory police was a national book award finalist in 2019. he's also vice president for academic affairs and dean of language school at middleberry college . >> good evening. it has been a great honor and a true pleasure to serve on the committee charged with selecting the 2021 national book award for translated literature. at first i recognize my extraordinary collaborators and friends who share this journey, the other members of

our committee. jesse casey, and sergio delacroix. during our meetings i've been amazed by their dedication and by the careful wise and insightful readingthey offered for each book . i've learned from their tremendous intelligence, candor and generosity of spirit and i'm grateful to them and proud of the work we've done . we've had the privilege of reading 154 entries representing 27 languages. thrilling and daunting task that convinced us of the richness of contemporary literature in english translation. translated literature is coming into its own in this wn country with more work. each year and more attention being paid to the array of national literary talents in the new generation of translators whowork across a wide range of languages and cultural traditions .

we are delighted to be able torecognize each of the excellent submissions in this category . they've done marvelous work from animal long list the five finalists being celebrated here this evening and those finalists are "winter in sokcho" by elisa shua dusapin translated from the french and published by open letter.peach blossom in paradise by ge fei translated from the chinese by cannon morse andpublished by new york review books . the twilight zone by nona fernandez, translated from the spanish by natosha swimmer and published by graywolf press . when we cease to understand the world by benjamin labatut translated from the spanish by adrian nathan west and published by new york review books. >> ..

dark beauty of winter near the north korean border. narrated by shirley observant young french korean resident historic sports risks of identity and the fleeting possible between solitary strangers elegant translation

and mysterious novel. [laughter] [inaudible] thank you so much.

[speaking in native language] >> she says thank you for the bottom of her heart. she does not really know what too say. but it comes from her heart. these are very, very dear to her. she says a big thank you to everyone. i can't thank everyone enough it is such an honorable and completely overwhelmed by this. thank you to the publishers, thank you two books in london, thank you to our first editor who worked so hard to text with this thank you to all of you a national book world this is such an honor it's a fantastic all of us. a forr all who will read your

book will get to know more thank you so much toul everyone. ♪ ♪ congratulations and now back to our host phoebe robinson. >> i love when winners are speechless, rock true emotion gasket out there get this book if you have not done on over to poetry i'm a terrible poet i tried it in college did not succeed that's what i do comedy. now that book national book award for poetry. >> poetry asks us to pay close attention to words, to linebreaks to one another. nationaloe book award when the complexities of the past, document the impacts and echoes of trauma and yet these

books also asked us to imagine and recognize beauty and the complexity of human life. author for poetry collections and award winner for the writers program at the university off michigan. >> thank you all for tuning in tonight. the national bookto award jury also turns out to be a good time. of the books we read this year including many books make it

to the list of finalists, i felt lucky torgerson poets it matches theirs good spirits in the world. the foundation chooses the jurors not the chair. before knowing whom i might be working. i could not found a better group of poets of i chose the myself. natalie deas and brad are deeply insightful voice to every meeting matteo harvey always led the way with her pics and your openness or intuitiveness. also his big generous hearts.

in the generosity i want to thank them. we are so proud to present to you our finalist for this year's national book award in poetry they are what noise desiree c bailey yale university press. flotus homes martina ww norton and company. show douglas kearney wave books. a thousand times you lose your treasure wildman also wave books. the sunflower cast a spell to save us from the void. jackie wayne. and this year's national book award for poetry g goes to flotus.

♪ ♪ >> martina flotus ww norton and company. martina flotus timeless voice that can be heard above this world. this reminds the power of observations of seeing everything what is in front of us, what is behind us both in memory and in heritage and what we can only imagine leaving all are worthy of song all are worthy of taking seriously within our songs. this is a collection it's vital for our times and will be vital for those in the future trying to make sense of today. >> thank you very much.

i am speechless, to a large extent because i did not prepare a speech but also because i am very honored as a recipient of the national book award for poetry in 2021. thereno is no time for me too think everyone who deserves to tobe thanked. i want to be my thinking my wife to whom the book is dedicated. i want to thank my editor and my publisher. i want to thank my agents i

want to thank someone who is non- notot here, my father who guided both the artistic example to me throughout my life. i want to acknowledge who are of the other poets were finalist this year. i know what it is like to be where i am. i know what it's like to be where you are. and hope we can form relationships in the national book awards. finally i would like to thank the judges, that is all i have

to say. i'm sure i'll think of many more intelligent things to say once i leave your screen, thank you. god bless you. >> congratulations and now back to our host phoebe robinson. >> i love a man who keeps it short and sweet. that was so lovely. congratulations again. okay you all, there are only two awards left were getting pretty close to the end of the night. before it's over please consider supporting books bite donate to this year's national book award. i'm going to follow up see better all donate. next up is a a national book award for nonfiction. >> across dirt fees,

structures, topic nonfiction investigates, discovers andte transforms national book award finalist for nonfiction seek a difficult truth and expand our understanding essays and histories these books explore personal experiences with sociopolitical critique and celebratetu black american culture. they transform our understanding of environmental change with ecology history and survival the chair for this nash notebook award is now the author of eight books including the history of white people in art school a memoir of starting over. >> hello, good evening book

people i'm so pleased to build to speak to you. this year's nonfiction jury consisted of five dedicated readers and writers eula bliss, irene curtis, kate tuttle, darrell walker, and myself as chair. we were a mix of skills, of passions and f tasks. we work together. collaboratively, we had the 679 books. this is the largest category. it includes history, memoir, a whole range of different kinds of writing of nonfiction. i want to assure everybody who wrote for that is everybody he wrote a book that we were able to look at, that each book got reviewed by five pairs of eyes.

we did not split this up, everybody read, reviewed, everything. of five finalists and today are winner from beginning to end we workiv collaboratively and we forge consensus every step of the way we talked, and talked, i think my colleagues for the thoughtful dedication the generosity of the critical spirit from beginning to end. speaking for myself and i think also for my colleagues, i like to say how these hundreds of books really suckered me in this fraud time in our history.

many writers are grappling with the challengess the terrors of our times, hundreds of authors of our generation feeling hopeful in the hands of our fellow citizens, especially our fellow citizens the finalists were little devil in america from branding running out princeton

university press feminist press from w norton and company the journey black family keepsake by peter miles random house and the winner is tia miles for all that she carried a black family keepsake, random house. >> tire miles, all that she carried the journey of ashley

a black. family keepsake. random house imprint of penguin random house. a brilliant original work, all that she carried presents a black woman's counter compilation of lies and ordinary i carves says press. tiant models graceful prose gives us narrative history, social history and object history a woman's craft to the things pros gave the daughter she was losing forever. miles office the visual record of love in the face of the child trafficking atrocities scholarship at its best and most heart wrenching. and i'm only holding it together left back i can't

believe this, it is such an honor i am deeply, deeply grateful for it. i am so grateful to my fellow finalists in every category i am so proud to be standing beside you to try interpret and translate the archives. i am grateful to my family who made all this possible. your attempt to repent books even if you only get. part way through. please get blistered.

i would like to thank national books and all the judges into professor. i would like to tell you that i, like so many people, many, many of us graduate school and i admired you so, so, so much for your past work and african-american history. i cannot tell you what it means to me that you are the chair of this jury. i am very grateful to my agent who works with me and supports me for almost a decade in the books in the hands of random house's taking care of the sensitivity and i am deeply thankful to my agent who is a

warrior you came in you scoop me up, you took care of me are the heart of this book. i also want to thank molly turpin had commitment they wanted because you are so curious you are so receptive you are the perfect editor for this project you and i both know this is a code written book. there are many, many many pages of books and the

hundreds and line edits going through this process not just once, not just twice i want to say you are the life of this book and i'm so grateful. my last second rose ashley andrews when at the center of this book i want them to know and see how much they are loved and honored today. thank you so very much. >> congratulations and now back to our host phoebe robinson.

>> honest about the editing process, i know editors are very important so shout out to all of them for helping our office or at the best they could ever have written. and now award for fiction. >> seen you met it word by word and sentence by sentence. the stories within this year's national book award finalist for fiction included author's disorienting book to her, one woman's life on p the plains of indiana and the love between two enslaved men on a plantation in the deep south. from 12th century france an interstellar ship and the 22nd century, these books show us that we are more alike than we are different. the panel chair for this year's national book award for fiction the author of 18 books including the house of broken

angels. she is a distinguished professor of creating writing at the university of illinois, chicago. i can't believe i got this opportunity to chair this committee. i want to thank everybody at the foundation for this opportunity. i want to thank ruth and anna especially for helping us createor the world's coolest book club. did we really read hundreds of books? yes we really did. they were amazing so many hundreds of those authors through to this troublesome and troubling era. it was very difficult quite an honor and quite aui blessing to do it. everybody on the team brought

their a game. when the shout out to the committee which was alan michael parker, emily, margaret and charles the all-time champion. so, the nominees in the door, simon and schuster matrix by lauren riverhead books penguin random house. missouri bite layered hunt the prophets, robert jones junior g be putnam's son, penguin random house. and hell of a book by jason, gotten, penguin, random house. this year's national book award for fiction goes to hell of a book jason motz.

>> jason mott. hell of a book imprint of penguin random house. jason mott weaves together three narrative strands a boy named soot and that figure known as the kid into a masterful novel and a structurally and examination of art, fame, family and being black in america motz amount manages theul impossible trickee being playful, insightful, and deeply moving all at the same time. the highly original inspired work that breaks new ground. >> excuse me i'm a bit

overwhelmed right now. i did write this just in case i got overwhelmed, which is completely happening right now. so i'm just going to read and please bear with me if i stumble over this. i like to begin to apologizing to those due to time constraints i will not be able to think tonight per just trust i'll be thanking you personally in the days and weeks to comes. tonight i would like to thank my agent, michelle broward who exactly ten years ago this month took me out of a slush pile and since that day has been constant and awe-inspiring in her love, support, and friendship. i like to thank my editor, jon and the entire team who believed inea this novel and help to bring it into being. again there are too many people to name it, i thank you all. i want to thank my friends and family the people who truly made tonight possible who make all of the other days and nights possible. to my parents who did not live

to see the statement who are watching right now, to everyone, we have made it. lastly like to dedicate this award to allic the other mad kids to all the outsiders, the weirdos, the one so strange they had no choice but to be misunderstood by the world and those around them. the ones who inspired this, refused to outgrow their imagination. refused to abandon their dreams, refused to deny, diminish their identity or their truth or their love like so many others. thank you very, very much. >> congratulations and now back to our host phoebe robinson. >> congratulations jason that speech was a beautiful and amazing talented writer.

okay you guys an enormous congratulations to all the winners of tonight's national book award. thank you has our announcer tonight finals, winners, judges, attendees and beers the national book award at the wonderful support of readers everywhere. good night i am taking my spanks off. ♪ ♪ weekends on cspan2 are an intellectual feast, every saturday american tv documents america's story and on sunday book tv funding for it cspan2 comes from these television companies and more including charter communications. >> broadband charter has invested billions in

infrastructure upgrading technology, empowering opportunity in communities big and small. charter is connecting us. >> charter communications along with these television companies support cspan2 as a public service. >> looked out some of the most noticeable books of 2021 according to publishers weekly former political executive director peter recounts a life of 19th century supreme court justice jon marshall harlan the great dissenter. and it read until you understand jasmine griffin columbia university chair of the african-american studies department looks at the writings of black authors and public intellectuals to address issues of equality and freedom science writer mary roach examines a conflict between humans and wildlife in a book of fuzz. and under a white sky pulitzer prize winning author elizabeth culvert detail some of the way science is used to counteract as well as adapt to the

effects of climate change. brian broome reflects on his life and memoir punch me up to the gods most of these authors have appeared a book tv you can find their programs a book tv.org put the authors name in the search bar at the top of this page. book tv continues note television for serious readers. >> good evening my name is john burtka i'm the president of intercollegiate studies institute. am pleased to welcome you to our annual conservative book of the year award. this year'swe winner is yuval levin. he is the author of the book "a time to build" from family and community to congress and the campus. how recommitting to our institution can revive the american dream. i met yuval levin about five years ago i been a longtime fan of his work he was an isi lever phyllo was introce