PLA Blog

Just a quick break from the excellent Boot Camp reports for a bit of news, announced to me via NPR’s Morning Edition (read the blurb for the story and listen to the broadcast here).

The National Book Foundation announced the 2006 National Book Awards last night at a ceremony in New York City Last night. You can read more about each author and their work by clicking on their names below.

• Young People’s Literature:
  The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume One: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson
• Poetry:
  Splay Anthem by Nathaniel Mackey
• Nonfiction:
  The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan
• Fiction:
  The Echo Maker by Richard Powers

Two other awards were received last night: Adrienne Rich received the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, and Robert Silvers and Barbara Epstein received The Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community.

Also in attendance at the award ceremony were the recipients of the National Book Foundation’s new program “5 under 35,” which highlights new young authors. Keep an eye on these up and coming writers!

Transcripts of speeches and more content from the gala evening will be posted to the National Book Foundation’s site in the coming days.

Did you know that the director of the National Book Foundation has a blog? Read more about what’s going on at the National Book Foundation by visiting the Director’s Blog.

If you don’t know about the Dewey Donation System, take a look.

Started in 2003 by a blogger and writer Pamie, the idea is to get book donations for libraries that need help. In 2003, it was the Oakland County Library, and in 2004, DDS helped out a branch of the San Diego Public Library after a fire. Now, they are assisiting the Harrison County Library System in Mississippi.

They have recently passed the 500 donor mark, according to Pamie.

You can keep up to speed with the ongoings at DDS via their blog.

I learned via one of my “elerts” that yesterday was World Book and Copyright Day. From the UN Site:

“23 April is a symbolic date for world literature for on this date in 1616, Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors such as Maurice Druon, Haldor K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo.”

“It was a natural choice for UNESCO’s General Conference, held in Paris in 1995, to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity. In this respect, UNESCO created both the World Book and Copyright Day and the UNESCO Prize for Children’s and Young People’s Literature in the Service of Tolerance.”