great work whether it was, you know, and there were some books that really stood out many narrative nonfiction, and they're all, like, escaping me right now. midnight in the garden of good and evil, and there was the orchid piece and the perfect storm, and there were these great narratives that used the technique of fiction -- nonfiction. i think right now what's happening is that's still, i think, an ongoing form of journalism that is good and has an audience. but even a more interesting thing that's happening right now in nonfiction which is these genres are blurring between essays and criticism and memoir and narrative. again, "between the world and me" is a great example. there's reporting where he goes and he's doing journalist reporting, there's memoir in that, there's, you know, criticism in that, there's advancing of ideas in that. [inaudible] has done a great job of publishing books like a argonaut s where these are books that are playing with different forms of nonfiction in a really interesting way. and often fits together through, you know, elements of personal narrative that kind

[applause] >> the book price of narrative nonfiction on the topiof political concern to exemplified though literary grace and commitment to serious research and social responsibilities that characterize the distinguished work. this year's winner is author susan southard for her book "nagasaki" it was also a finalist in 2012. please join us. [applause] >> "nagasaki" will upset you and describes the indescribable to take "the reader" through the bombing of nagasaki a half century of lions and truth to deny that radiation and poisoning was real. she reaches the final chapter to tell the complete story without the diatribe to leave "the reader" that such a thing must never happen again. [applause] >> of finalists in is dale russakoff author of "the prize" if. [applause] the judges right in their citation to be powerfully expose howland contentions gore arrived after the pledge $100 million to public schools her account of the convergence of celebrity politicians and a philanthropist of students and teachers struggling through poverty is a serious portrait of the enormous challenges saving scho

nurturing the life of nonfiction in our culture without narrative nonfiction, you know, it's very hard for, i think, any of us to understand how we're going to not just understand history, but also understand current problems. so that's what we're about. and anybody out there who wants to support this mission, that's my pitch. [laughter] now, steve, you went -- to give an example of why this took longer than you anticipated, and my understanding is you anticipated your book to be completed two years ago, right? [inaudible conversations] >> talking to my editor? >> this is important. [laughter] this is important because the reason that it took to long, as i understand it -- >> because i'm slow? >> no. [laughter] what i understand is that you actually chose a topic where you willfully, you know, disobeyed the commands of an editor about what the nature of your topic should be. explain. >> well, it wasn't my editor. i would never diss my own editor. but a previous editor had said to me never choose an arc of history that lasts 70 years, because all you're doing is making yourself responsi

not simply because it is a great biography, great work of historical scholarship, it is just narrative nonfiction at its best, an incredible story that tells a much bigger story and in such aa way that engages the reader so deeply in on so many levels that if you pick this up you will not put it down. and that should be no surprise given the author. professor emeritus of english at princeton in the most respected feminist literary critic of her generation. her previous books attest are profound and flow of the academy. for many intellectuals that would suffice. not an intellectual or scholar. she is never been content. they've gotten to know that firsthand. we also know this. teaching classes here. one of our most popular instructors. there are only two spots left in her upcoming class. i would suggest signing up right away and thank you for coming in teaching. beyond her teaching and book writing she is an enthusiast of popular culture. a regular and also confessed and print for a passion for shopping. thinking about her latest book and why it resonates so briefly, it's because many parts of it,

it's a great work of historical scholarship, though, it is surely both of those it is just narrative nonfiction at its best it's an incredible story. a story that tells a much bigger story, and in such a way that engages reader so deeply and on so many levels that if you pick this book up, you will not put it down. and that should be no surprise given the author. elaine is a professor of meredith of englishes at princeton and most respected feminist literary critic eve her generation. her previous books all ait's to her profound influence on academy as she's reshaped scholarship about american women. for many elect chuls that would be for career publishments not any intellectual had or scholar and never been be content to have herself in an ivory tower. she's afterall at heart a teacher. and welcomely for these princeton students several generations of them have gotten to know that first hand, and i might also say that here at pnp we know this and i frankly cannot believes we're so lucky because elaine is teaching classes here now. and not surprisingly is one of our most popular instructors, in

biography, not simple because it's a great work of historical scholarship, but it is those, just narrative nonfiction at its best. incredible story, a story that tells a much bigger story and in such a way it of deeply and on so many levels that if you pick this book up you'll not to put it down. should be no surprise given the author. elaine is a professor emeritus of english at preston and the most respected feminist literary critic of her nation and her previous book contest to her impact on the academy as she reship scholarship about american women. for melo actuals that would surprise career, schmidt, but she's not any scholar. who daughter told me she has never been content to put yourself in an ivory tower and is after all at hardy teacher. luckily, for these princeton students several generations of them have gotten to know that firsthand and i might also say here we know this and i frankly cannot believe we are so lucky because elaine is teaching classes here now and not surprisingly is one of our most popular instructors. i found out a few minutes before the event started that there are onl

it's just narrative nonfiction at its best.t's an incredible story, a story that tells a much bigger story and in such a way that engages the reader to deeply and on so many levels that if you pick this book up, you will not put it down. and that should be no surprise given the author. elaine is a professor emeritus of english at princeton and the most respected feminist literary critic of her generation. her previous books all attest to her profound influence on the academy as she has reshaped scholarship about american women. for many intellectuals, that would suffice for career accomplishments, but elaine is not any intellectual or scholar. her daughter told me she's never been content to cloister herself in an ivory tower. she is, after all, at heart a teacher. and luckily for these, for princeton students, several generations of them have gotten to know that firsthand. and i might also say that here at p and p we also know this and i, frankly, cannot believe that we're so lucky, because elaine is teaching classes here now.

i studied narrativet nonfiction a lot because it b really is about the narrative.just the facts would make a boring book. i think i saw this wonderful example written by a writer, and to five so-- so i will just use this as an example. you all know about the death of mr. dump g, humpty dumpty sat on the wall call the king's horsesking's horses and all the kings men couldn't put humpty together again. well, the only thing in his obituary was he died on june 31t failure.aphyer i could have put that in my book, but as a biographer and wanting narrative, i began to seek questions about it. in a taylora taylor asked the question, what was he doing sitting on the wall? why did he fall? was he pushed?hey re and what were the kings men doing they're? was you royalty or some revolutionary? and how hard they really try? so with that same kind of idea in mind i didn't take at face value that he died of heart failure. i found an interviewed everyone that had seen him in the week leading up to his death including finding the young physician in residency training who took care o

[laughter] >> and with the narrative nonfiction point of view. and gratified with that vehicle point of view but from that point of view and some of my characters but the others have not to bring back to their lives. where he was reviled. the ither southerner on the court that also owns slaves and he ended up breaking the lead decision and those are the questions that i would consider. >> so when you go on book tour. [laughter] what is it? historian sometimes make the mistake and reno the outcome of this case so people look for the seeds planted that explains to us how he or she and the evolution of their lifetime with the effects than the environment. you cannot explain those slavery views. you cannot explain them. and it was created in order to get elected. and it was opposed slavery some understanding of how he evolved by living his life and there is no other way to be in kentucky and was a third party man for so many years so she became a republican. >> as a relatively pragmatic did something to the whole conception becse separate when and un