now back to our host phoebe robinson. >> while. that speech was powerful. hair was looking fire. i agree. writing, you have to include integrity. we need to move in a good positive way. now i would like to introduce the national book foundation board chair david steinberger. come on over. >> good evening. thank you. we are so thrilled to have you here with us tonight as our oure virtual book awards. celebrating the best in literature. the powerful writing, talented authors and of course the many readers touched by books. all of those joining us tonight welcome to the 72nd annual national book awards. i need to start by thanking the team at the national book foundation. your perseverance and dedication over the past year has been nothing short of extraordinary. the board of directors arm some of the most committed and enthusiastic people i've ever had the opportunity to work with. thank you all. i am honored to serve this institution alongside each of you. tonight we are coming to you from the offices of england random house surrounded by books as we should

thank you. ♪ ♪ >> congratulations and now back to our host phoebe robinson.as on fire general at them erase us. we can all take that to our things better. congratulations again on your win, so excited for you. okay next up is the national book award this was added in 2018 is a first added in two decades the award adds global perspective from books all over the world that are published here in the united states. and now the national book award for translated literature. >> reading literature in translation is an active journey in discovery. wordss transport us no plane or train required. perspectives beyond her own. translated literature brings the world to us for the finalist for the national book award for translated literature or translated into english from arabic, chinese, french and spanish. these extraordinary books are a triumph of collaboration that belong to personal and political history. contemplate intimacy and alienation and expand our notion of the possible. the panel chair for this year's national book award for translated literature is steven

. ♪ ♪ congratulations and now back to our host phoebe robinson. >> i love when winners are speechlessue 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