i didn't know that was a concept until -- julia keller, would often get julie at times and so i told -- i was recounting this to nell when i returned to monroe ville, at another kitchen table, that of a fringe, i told the people, on the top of the cake, i would like to say congratulations, julia, pulitzer prize 2005. but i said julia sometimes gets julie. could you please spell it with an a. i don't mean to be a pain in the nick but could you read it back to meet? it was quite a heavy accent. i couldn't place it. he was understanding me better than i was able to understand him during that conversation on the phone. he said was an honor that is marvelous, julia, we haven't, no worries. right before a bunch of people from the chicago tribune came over to celebrate. the cake was delivered and picked up the lid. my heart sank because it did say congratulations, julia. pulitzer prize 2005. [applause] >> guest: which is something we still call her all these years later and she is quite lyrical so it is inappropriate name. but the kick out of that story at the home of another mutual friend, one of the things i so respected about both of them is the

day after spending time in my imagination and in my research and in my notes in monroe 1reu8, and that was trual of julia who very generously spent a lot of time with me telling me about her life as an african-american woman who grew up at the time she did and who was a nurse and a midwife for many years and would tell those tales. and then, you know, that spell that she knew how to cast that nell and alice, i would say, were masters of the art where you almost forget where you are for a minute and resurface and remember. for me it was, it was a way to be out in the world even when i really wasn't. and, you know, there's a little bit of faith and hope involved in such a solitary process that the time will come when you're sharing those stories with other people and how remarkable it is to be here doing that a with you tonight. this was such a gift that they both shared with me, and i want to be just a good, to share that gift with all of you. there were stories that they didn't want to share, and as i've mentioned in the book, a lot of times to spare the feelings of a friend or relative who was part of a