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November 15, 2007
Denis Johnson Wins 2007 National Book Award
The NBA has stayed true to form, however, in 2007 with a strong slate of nominees and with this year's fiction winner, named last night, Denis Johnson, for his Vietnam War novel Tree of Smoke. In discussing the finalists, we called Johnson the "presumptive favorite," and he was a favorite that many readers seemed to want to win. We have a review of the book available, and curious readers can also check out an excerpt. With Johnson away on assignment in Iraq, his wife accepted the award for him.
Moving to the other categories, Tim Weiner's Legacy of Ashes: The History of the C.I.A. (excerpt) took home the non-fiction prize, beating out Christopher Hitchens. Sherman Alexie, whose adult fiction has never made the cut for the fiction award, was a winner in the Young People's Literature category for The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (excerpt). The poetry award went to Robert Hass for Time and Materials (poem).
For more on the award ceremony, check out the Times writeup. And Ed, who attended with several other bloggers, offered his own coverage as well.
- C. Max Magee @ 7:33 AM ~ comments: 2 ~ Links to this post
Visit The Millions Book Review Index
If you haven't read The Atlantic review of 'Tree of Smoke' definitely check it out: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200712/vietnam
I haven't read the book but by the excerpts that the writer puts in the piece, I must say that the prose seems lacking in the extreme.
John
Guy Misterioso @ November 15, 2007 1:16 PMI'd also like to point your readers to two excellent articles about the Obama candidacy. The lead article by Andrew Sullivan, "Why Obama Matters," is very articulate and well done.
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