so again, i'm so happy to know that ray youngbear will be getting this award.he next award, if i can find it here, is for the book the american slave coast, a history of the slave breeding industry. seems to be the theme today, looking back at the slave past. hamilton, etc. ned and constance, the authors, ned sublet is the author of cuba and its music, the world that made new orleans and the year before the flood. constance has published -- publishes as constance ash. she has three novels and edited the anthology not of women born. unfortunately, they were also not able to join us today. of the book, counterpunch says they have provided the world with one of the best history books ever written about the united states. .. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> i just brought the cover because the book weighs three pounds. nearly 800 pages. and every word is important. so it is my honor to except the american book award for authors ned and constance sublet, their extraordinary book, the american slave coast. i will read the sublets acceptance. the