Wrong Title Announced At Presentation Of National Book Awards 2011 Finalists

There was confusion over the shortlist of the 60th annual National Book Awards, as the wrong title was announced in one of the categories.

The awards, probably the most prestigious book awards in the USA behind the Pulitzer Prize, have previously been given to Jonathan Franzen, Philip Roth, Alice Walker and William Faulkner.

The confusion arose in the Young People's Literature category. "Shine" by Lauren Myracle was announced in the live broadcast as one of the five nominees. However, Associated Press later reported that the similar-sounding title "Chime" by Franny Billingsley was supposed to have been named instead.

The National Book Foundation, which administers the awards, lists both on their website, which means that the category has an unprecedented six nominees, despite the description of the process on their own website stating that there are only five nominees in each category.

"We made a mistake, there was a miscommunication," said Harold Augebraum, executive director of the National Book Foundation, to the LA Times. "We could have taken one of the books away to keep it five, but we decided that it was better to add a sixth one as an exception, because they're all good books."

The other stories to emerge from the shortlist:

• Out of 20 nominated books, 12 were written by female authors - one short of last year's 13
• At 26 years and 12 days old, Téa Obreht is one of the youngest nominees ever
• This is the first time a graphic novel has been shortlisted in the Non-fiction category ("Radioactive")
• There are two debut novelists in the Fiction category (Téa Obreht and Andrew Krivak)
• "The Convert", in the Non-fiction category, is based on a cache of letters, which the author has "rewritten and greatly condensed"
• Manning Marable, author of "Malcolm X", died in April the week before his book was published
• Themes of shortlisted books include the Vietnam War, Karl Marx, Malcolm X, the Triangle factory fire in New York, and Marie Curie

There are four categories, each judged by well-known writers. A total of 1,223 books were submitted this year; only American citizens are eligible for the prize.

Finalists, listed below, are awarded $1,000 and a medal; winners, announced at a special dinner in mid November, receive $10,000 and a bronze sculpture.

The shortlists are:

Fiction
"The Soujourn" by Andrew Krivak
"The Tiger's Wife" by Téa Obreht
"The Buddha in the Attic" by Julie Otsuka
"Binocular Vision" by Edith Perlman
"Salvage the Bones" by Jesmyn Ward

Non Fiction
"The Convert" by Deborah Baker
"Love and Capital: Karl and Jenny Marx and the Birth of a Revolution" by Mary Gabriel (you can read her blogpost about why she wrote the book here)
"The Swerve: How The World Became Modern" by Stephen Greenblatt
"Malcolm X" by Manning Marable
"Radioactive" by Lauren Redniss

Poetry
"Head Off & Split" by Nikky Finney
"The Chameleon Couch" by Yusef Komunyakaa
"Double Shadow" by Carl Phillips
"Tonight No Poetry Will Serve" by Adrienne Rich
"Devotions" by Bruce Smith

Young People's Literature
"My Name is Not Easy" by Debbie Dahl Edwardson
"Inside out and back again" by Thanhha Lai
"Flesh and Blood So Cheap" by Albert Marrin
"Shine" by Lauren Myracle
"OK For Now" by Gary D Schmidt
"Chime" by Franny Billingsley

Comments

[Rachel Lieberman]

08:58 AM on 10/14/2011

I have heard wonderful things about both books, so I'll chalk this up to a happy accident. Little brag: both authors are connected to the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program at Vermont College of Fine Arts (which I have the pleasure of attending right now). Billingsly is a faculty member and Myracle is an alumna.

[anilimili]

11:08 PM on 10/13/2011

I'm glad there's news about GOOD BOOKS FOR YOUTH. With so much bad news about bad things happening or inappropriate stuff being shown/told/done to young people, it is good to have some news about a mistake that is far from awful--and a solution that works--and some good books to read to boot!

[darkmark]

05:41 PM on 10/12/2011

does anyone remember an english book and tv series on pbs of a surreal story about a mythical country of queens, kings, cooks and servants. i remember one main character that was the cooks helper somehow climbing into a princesses room. cooks climbing up a long set of stairs and going through a large double door. aarrrgh i can't remember the title.

[MSchlagel]

05:47 PM on 10/12/2011

The miniseries is probably Gomenghast based on Mervyn Peake's trilogy of Titus Groan, Gormenghast and Titus Alone. It is available on Netflix.

[darkmark]

06:49 PM on 10/12/2011

thanks MSchilagel, that's the one.

[kareemachan]

10:55 AM on 10/13/2011

Decently done mini-series, but the books are even better.

[darkmark]

11:20 AM on 10/13/2011

good, i just bought the book.

[Ramkshrestha]

05:30 PM on 10/12/2011

Oh 60% female author? That's why I am saying this is the year of female.

[kareemachan]

10:55 AM on 10/13/2011

I wish someone would tell that to the TP/NOP.

:-(

[threnodymarch]

03:56 PM on 10/12/2011

I'm just glad to see graphic novels getting at least a little recognition this year. I'm also surprised there aren't more big ticket names on there; I find awards tend to cater to the masses rather than the esoteric audiences (save for a few niche awards).

[Dauntlessmedia]

03:10 PM on 10/12/2011

I haven't read the other entries so I can't say it deserves an award over the others, but "OK For Now" by Gary Schmidt was an absolutely fantastic, wonderfully written book. Highly recommended!

[jabb5076]

06:33 PM on 10/13/2011

What's it about?

[IndieGOePublishing]

01:02 PM on 10/12/2011

I'm just thrilled to see at least a few debut novelists on the list. I am convinced there are lots of very good unknown writers out there just waiting for an independent publisher like me who would be thrilled to publish their book (if only they knew it, and would stop letting time slip through their fingers while they wait to be noticed by one of the Big Six trad publishers, the likes of which publish junk such as the just released book written by the woman who had a "twitter affair" with Anthony Weiner).

[IconoclasticYouth]

02:14 PM on 10/12/2011

Do you publish nonfiction or fiction? The problem a lot of us run into is that 99% of publishers feel like they will only publish non fiction.

[furby6]

12:22 PM on 10/12/2011

No comments.... a sad state of affairs.

[kerriberri]

07:53 AM on 10/13/2011

I'm with you; what a disorganized mess.

[Will Weaver]

08:01 AM on 10/13/2011

Thanks for your even-handed comment.