you will love it too from sherman alexi about this collection. is truly an astonishing work and this afternoon we have the great pleasure and honor of the author shann ray joining the stage for the ceremony so please will welcome shann ray. [applause] >> it's wonderful to be here. it is so different to be down here in the big city considering my mom was raised in kohlhagen montana, population eight. [laughter] i am thrilled that my brother joins me today. thanks for joining me. and i'm also thrilled that i'm surrounded by lovely women and my wife jennifer, my mom, sandy, and my grandmother, kathryn who we call called the great one. and guess what? i have three daughters. one of my nine pink shirts. i want to thank ishmael reed and all of that before columbus foundation would have shown us the better angels of our nature. gratitude calls forth love in us. from shakespeare, love is not to merit the true minds of impediments. love is not love which alters when it alteration finds. or martin luther king jr., hate cannot cast out hate. only love can d