radical hope of survival thank you so much for joining us this evening and thank you fort

search bar at the top of the page. welcome. i'm your host. i'm coming to you live from the beautiful central public library in downtown austin, texas. like last year, we wish you were in this room with us, celebrating with the brightest literary stars of the year. but we're grateful for the opportunity to share this moment with so many fans from all around the world. to give us an idea of what it would be like if we were together tonight, our editor-at-large, caught up with some of this year's finalists over zoom and recorded their pre-parties. you can view their full conversations on-line, but for now, let's just sit back, grab a glass of champagne, and enjoy it as if we were all together in real life sharing these

conversations. >> you want to start it off weird, or do you want to start it off with more together? >> weird. >> we're going to start out weird, okay. if you were hosting your fellow finalists in your home for this cocktail party, what will we eat? what will we drink? and would we be listening to music? >> for sure, there would be wine. there would be sparkling water. there would be -- there would have to be chocolate of some sort going on. >> if i was hosting you at my house, i would go crazy. i have not had anybody in my house. >> probably some shrimp, not the little ones, but the big ones; right? >> where everybody would have their own cake. >> my mom would definitely send some delicious desserts for us.

>> definitely have the wine flowing and some good cocktails. i think that would be a cocktail theme. >> for those people that want shots, i would have them available. [laughter] >> what did people drink during the renaissance? that was the prohibition; right? >> that wouldn't have kept them from drinking, though. >> oh, they were still drinking. [laughter] >> my dad would definitely be there as well, forcing tequila shots on us all. >> regrettably or perhaps not, we would be listening to the billboard top 100 of the year 1999. yeah, and it would end in a dance party, for sure. >> learning how to cha cha dance right now. you would be doing salsa, and i would be dancing with you all. >> it would be just -- we would go crazy. [laughter] >> very nice. >> okay.

i'm going to lay one of those [inaudible] on you next. what did writing this book teach you? what did you learn from the book? or a little bit about what was the experience of writing this book? >> i learned how tired i could be. i also learned that the ancestors have a mind of their own. i can control the contemorary narrative, but an ancestral narrative is a narrative that you can't always control. >> in these stories i was kind of working through all these kind of assaults of my being, as a person living here, a woman, a mother, a partner, a daughter in virginia and kind of this idea

am i allowed to be at home here? how are we going to move forward? how do i want to move forward? how can i have a sense of hopefulness even in the face of some really difficult things? >> what i learned -- [inaudible], found a different way of doing it, breaking out of my usual mode. >> the most important thing with this book is because it presents a protagonist that is someone who the reader doesn't always want to root for in every single turn. for me to be able to write a narrator like this requires me to disregard some rules of fiction writing all together. >> it is always a pleasure working with novels, even if the subject matter is quite grim at times. you know, because the language is very rich, and i think

translators in trying to represent as best as they can but also recreate in a fresh way what's being said. >> in translation it seems to kind of have a different time, so i kind of liked them more than the original, i think, but still i'm very surprised. >> i got to throw it to you now. >> i feel like i learn a lot about writing from every writer that i translate. in terms of the experience of translating the book, it might come as a surprise to anyone who has read the book, but it was very pleasurable to translate, even though it's pretty dark. >> i think i wrote them to teach myself how to write. [inaudible]. i had two previous novels, and

both had writers. i thought because i was a woman, it was essential -- you know. then you realize literature has nothing to do with, you know, what you see yourself as, as a person. language doesn't have to do with that. and i learned that. >> always a challenge, but one i really enjoy, yeah. >> 454 nonfiction titles were eligible for this award, and your books were chosen as the best of the best of the best. congratulations on the recognition. how did you learn the news that your book was nominated for the prize, and how did it make you feel? >> my publicist e-mailed me the news. >> i heard the news from my editor. >> my editor called me. >> i think i got an e-mail -- i

have four children. it was the first day that any of them had been in school for about a year and a half. >> i said i don't believe you. and i still don't believe her. i don't believe any of this is happening. >> i was like i got this amazing news, and i'm like wow, i'm alone in my house, and there's no one to talk about it with. >> as soon as i saw it, i started weeping. >> i had a call from a great friend, great editor, [inaudible] mcdonald, who was the man who put his finger on the book originally and said i think there's something going on here. >> at first, i thought i think when good news happens, i just assume that like something has gone wrong. and then like throughout the day, i was like wait, this is great. >> the single fact of being published in the united states, it is a real treat for a mexican writer. >> what's the title of your book in spanish? >> in spanish

[speaking in spanish] you think of vertigo is a matter of altitude, but there are some spaces that are gigantic enough to foster a kind of horizontal vertical. >> the title is absolutely perfect. it is an idea of an infinite expansion outward, with no end in sight. >> why was this the right title? i'm assuming that out of all the books published in last year, that were eligible for the prize, that you get this question the most. >> probably, yeah, my book is called [inaudible]. the idea of the title came to me when i was approached by smithsonian magazine to write an article about ann frank, and i was like i really don't want to write an article about ann frank.

the opening essay in the book is people love dead jews, living jews not so much. the book sort of takes that idea and runs with it. >> the title of the book is [inaudible]. it is something that my father used to say to me when he would catch me doing something that wasn't masculine, like writing, for instance. so the title is kind of like a challenge, go ahead, punch me up to god. i'm going to come back the same. >> i titled it after some really creative brainstorming with my editor because the fact that the center of the story, it helps to propel these women's lives and helps their survival across the generations. >> it's a term that refers to the path that electricity takes

through the body following water. my book opens with the night that i took three accidental shocks to the heart from my implanted cardiac defibrillator. taking those three shocks to the heart, i felt marked but invisibly, and i didn't know what the inside of my body could have looked like, and i think there are a lot of ways that we don't know actually what people's bodies look like in the world as a result of the american medical system and within the american medical system itself, so lightning flowers. >> to me it is so exciting and a great honor to be considered among books that are addressing political issues and are written with a real literary intention. >> the prize recognizes remarkable achievement in writing and illustration. that recognition comes in the form of one of the richest literary awards in the world. $50,000 in three categories:

fiction, nonfiction, and young readers literature. in addition to $50,000, each winner will receive a trophy. the trophy is a commissioned art piece created in london. every detail is hand made, from the porcelain pages of the open book to the hand-blown glass and solid base. we create these each year as a gift of appreciation for the contribution the winners make to our industry, our art, and the world. now one could argue that the prize is the most difficult literary award to win because our critics read more books than probably any other judging panel. so the 2021 prize, our critics read more than 10,000 books, which means that less than .2 percent of the books read by our critics achieved the level of

prize finalists. to be eligible for the prize, a book must first earn a starred review. then the judges narrow it down to six finalists in each category and deliberate to choose a winner. i would like to welcome all of our finalists joining us live via zoom from around the world. our first category tonight is young readers literature. the judges for the 2021 prize for young readers literature are: an author, a librarian, a critic amy robinson, and a young reader's editor. to introduce the finalists in the category of young readers

literature, judge naomi. >> the finalists for the 2021 prize for young reader's literature are: "surprising power of a good dumpling". this deeply poignant novel about growing up in an asian immigrant family with a mother who suffers from a debilitating mental illness soared above other young adult fiction the judges read this year. the author fashions a sensitive exploration of chinese culture and attitudes toward mental health, while exploring a variety of teen issues from academic pressures to bullying and first romance. the surprising power of a good

dumpling moved us to tears and made us rejoice. "the life i'm in" by sharon g. flake. the judges were floored by this breathtaking young adult novel, a companion to flake's ground breaking 1998 novel "the skin i'm in". here flake offers a brutally honest but never sensationalist portrayal of human trafficking. this is not just a typical coming of age story, though its teen protagonist is depicted with clarity and unsparing honesty. but a vivid expose that feels ripped from the headlines.

"legacy, women poets of the renaissance" by nikki grimes and multiple illustrators. a glorious introduction to the renaissance and women poets, "legacy" is a spirited and empowering dialogue between grimes and her poetic fore mothers, intertwining the emotions and experiences of black women, past and present. the judges singled out its masterful use of the golden poetic form as well as the vibrant eclectic illustrations by 19 contemporary black women artists. "your mama", this joyful spin on

your mama jokes features snappy rhythmic rhymes, fluidly incorporating spanish words alongside energetic expressive illustrations with a tattoo emoji. the judges were thoroughly enchanted by this vital celebration of mother hood in latin x cultures. "all 13", the incredible cave rescue of the thai boys' soccer team. this work of middle grade's nonfiction is written with the suspense and pasting of a thrilling adventure novel. "all 13" brings to life each of the players in this true survival story that made global headlines in 2018, while sensitively centers thai

culture. the judges were impressed by the author's meticulous research, supported by informative side bars and eye-catching color photos. "unspeakable, the tulsa race massacre" by carol boston weatherford illustrated by floyd cooper. this picture book gently but powerfully recounts the suppressed story of the 1921 tulsa race massacre for young readers with breathtaking illustrations and equally sensitive text. deeply researched historical notes also draw personal connections to this senseless tragedy. cooper, who died this summer, explains that his own grand father was a survivor of the

massacre. the judges praised "unspeakable" as an illuminating beacon on a tragedy that has too long been overlooked. >> as you may have noticed, this category includes two picture books, two middle grade books, and two books for teens or young adults. congratulations to all the finalists. the winner of the 2021 prize for young reader's literature is "all 13." >> oh my gosh! oh my goodness! i am completely speechless and unprepared for this moment because of the amazing company that i'm in, i am so honored to have shared this moment on

screen with such incredible, incredible creators. i am fans of every single one of you. i admire you so very much. i just want to thank my editor and everyone who is watching, shari, jamie, karen, and so many people i'm forgetting, my agent, stephanie hill. i have to say hi mom because i know she's watching and this is such a special moment. i want to thank so much everyone who shared their story with me for the book. writing this book was the biggest honor of my life. i felt like every single person that i interviewed was giving me such a treasure and telling me their story. i learned so much from all of you.

i learned so much from the boys, from the coach, from all of the rescuers, most of all, i learned that human beings are capable of doing things that seem impossible, and all we have to do is decide that it is important to us, and i'm going to carry that with me forever, carry that hope with me forever, so thank you so much to the committee. thank you. >> christina, your book is the first work of nonfiction ever to win this prize in the category of young reader's literature. congratulations, and thank you for those special thoughts. now i would like to introduce the judges for the 2021 prize for fiction. an author, a book seller, a

critic, and a fiction editor. to introduce the finalists in the category of fiction, the judge romana. >> the finalists for the 2021 prize for fiction are: "the dangers of smoking in bed", translated by megan mcdowell. this unsettling collection of stories by a journalist who grew up in buenos aires during a war, has multiple genres in its examination of the sociopolitical climate of argentina. the judges were horrified, thrilled, and entertained by the author's spectacularly twisted visions of daily life, where nightmare bleeds into reality, and the supernatural is woven

into the every day. "the love songs of w.e.b. dubois". this ambitious stunningly accomplished debut is a sweeping multigenerational story of black americans, especially black women, living in a country haunted by its unrelenting tasks. the judges marvel at the mastery in balancing the epic and the intimate, the appalling and the affirming, to forge a majestic narrative of race, history, and family, that will move and transform readers. the next book is by jocelyn nicole johnson. this collection captured by the

stunning title cuts straight to the lie that is the american dream and rewrites it in its truth. the judges were enthralled by johnson's of the historical and the contemporary and her mapping at the point in which black survival means hope. it is a remarkable display of wit, confidence, and perceptiveness by a major new literary voice. the next book is an unrepentant eye opening novel of love, transgression, war and survival in kosovo is delivered in prose, sensitively translated from finnish. it is tender, cruel and unflinching, it stops the judges in their tracks in its visceral

antiheroic detail that demonstrates the dark heart of human desire. "harlem shuffle", after two landmark works of serious fiction, whitehead returns with a deceptively wicked ride that is blessed with engaging affectionate good humor and underpins from the depths we expect from this versatile author. the judge's revelled in the author's comment and marks, moving through the underworld of 1960's harlem. it is a technically polished and good hearted display of a master novelist's skills. the next book is by joy williams. from one of the most celebrated voices in american fiction comes this unsentimental visionary statement, a novel that offers a chilling vision of our inescapable distaupe yin future. -- dystopian future.

it is a major contribution to the library of eco fiction. >> congratulations to all the finalists. the winner of the 2021 prize for fiction is the book by joy williams. joy isn't able to join us live this evening, so she sent a message with her publisher deb garrison. >> wow, thank you and before i read a statement from joy, i want to just say thank you to this incredible group of finalists for your work. she's honored to be in your company. what a group. she says i'm so grateful to deb

garrison -- oh, thank you, joy. she's grateful to everyone past and present who helped bring her book to the finish line and beyond. to my agents, amanda urban and molly atlas and to kelly blare for the striking cover design. i think of this book which was formed over so many years as an existence unto itself quite apart from the writing of it. this has given it further presence. thank you. thank you. >> and now for the final category of the evening. the judges for the 2021 prize in nonfiction are: an author, a book seller, a critic, and a nonfiction editor. to introduce the finalists in

this category is the judge karen almond. >> the finalists for the 2021 prize for nonfiction are: "punch me up to the gods", a memoir. this powerfully vulnerable and bleakly funny memoir reveals the author's struggling to shake off the restrictive frequently dangerous role of a gay man in black america. it is an easy redemption narrative showing instead how he gradually came to terms with the internalized toxic masculinity. the judges were dazzled by the book's unique structure, framed by a poem and by its ultimately

hopeful insight. "people love dead [inaudible]", in this potent provocative book, the author offers a startling investigation of anti-semitism in the context of how jewish history is often exploited and manipulated. our judges were impressed by the author's critiques of how jewish heritage sites and holocaust history are often presented. the book is a masterly combination of deep research, dark humor, fearless stoy telling and original thought making it a unique addition to the literature on jewish history and culture. "all that she carried, the

journey of ashley's sack, a black family keepsake". the author leads readers through history, from generations, the hands of an enslaved woman in the 1850s, all the way to its display at the smithsonian national museum of african american history. in addition to her meticulous research, judges noticed the author's evidence, compassion and imagination through this gripping history, the author creates a vision for survival and the triumph of black love as well as a model for repurposing the past and for regenerating relationships. ::

the boundaries between personal and subjective and objective. they were enlightened and the recurring images and ideas. my journey to uncover saving a life by catherine. the author who was diagnosed with a potentially deadly heart condition called congenital syndrome takes readers down the rabbit hole of the fatally flawed healthcare system that

cumulatively blends personal and political that judges place as both brutally poetic and scrupulously philosophical, e-book that takes big questions and allows for ambiguous answers. horizontal vertigo a city called mexico translated by alfred mcadam. this portrait of a city by an acclaimed mexican novelist showcases the natural setting as well as the art, literature and politics. the judges were exhilarated by the book unfolding conversations which refuse but instead engage

the readers in deciphering the history of this metropolis board self. congratulations to all the finalists. the winner of the 2021 prize for nonfiction is up to the gods by brian broome. oh geez, are you kidding me? wow. i do not know what to say because i thought to myself there is no way this would be happening to me. i just want to thank all the other authors in this category.

it's been an honor to have my name mentioned in the same sentences as you for the past couple of weeks. thank you to the judges this is overwhelming. thank you to my agent who is always encouraging i don't know what else to say. i wasn't prepared. thank you so much it is gratifying for somebody like me to be in this position thank you

so very much. it's amazing. thank you, thank you. >> congratulations to all of tonight's finalists and winners. so wonderful to see your joy this evening. at the kirkus prize would not exist without herbicide men and the kirkus reviews. i'd also like to thank the judges and the staff and editors of the reviews especially the incomparable vice president of marketing who made all the magic happen tonight with this show and are brilliant hard-working editor-in-chief in our production team at harvard and a

the christianity, not say i wrote the book out of a sense