Tag Archives: National Book Awards Ceremony

76th National Book Awards

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Smiling with Ibi Zoboi and Amber McBride

The event happened on a cold Tuesday night.

I took the wrong train and got off on the right stop. I walked into the auditorium after stopping by the table shifted book store.

I now carried 3 hardcover books plus the books I had in my bag to read on the train. I stood at the back of the auditorium and kept my bags and coat ready to make an exit at the end of the event.

But if course, I didn’t leave immediately.

Hannah V. Sawyerr, Author of Truth Is

Each author that shared, must have picked the best part of their book because I wanted to buy more. And I did!

I picked up two books from Young People’s Literature:

Ibi Zoboi’s (S)kin, and Amber McBride’s The Leaving Room.

Celebrating Professor Patricia Smith
Professor Patricia Smith reading poetry

After listening to Patricia Smith talk about her father and Mississippi, I just had to purchase her book of poetry, The Intentions of Thunder: New and Selected Poems. Her storytelling was sweet with sadness.

The nonfiction genre was difficult to pick from. I knew I wanted something but went back and forth between Jordan Thomas When it all Burns: Fighting Fire in a Transformed World and Claudia Rowe’s Wards of the State: The Long Shadow of American Foster Care. After listening to the finalists I decided that I wanted to hear more of the voice of Yiyun Li in Things in Nature Merely Grow. Her voice was pure grief but the writing technique sounded new.

Lastly for fiction, I bought A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar.

The 2024 National Book Awards

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Smiling with author Angela Shante
Author Percival Everett

It was a nice treat for me to get off work and go to NYU Skirball for the 2024 National Book Awards Finalist Reading in November. It is always a good feeling to be in the midst of people who write because they read and read because they write.

I must admit however that I missed The New School’s atmosphere and location. NYU was a long trip from the boogie down! It didn’t help that my phone battery was low and I didn’t know exactly how to get to the Skirball building. My gps let me through a walk in the park that I hated but it turned out to be the best route.

As soon as I got there, I walked to the book selling table and was surprised that I knew no one on the finalist list. I normally would know at least one author but all of the author’s were new to me. The topics were new too which almost peeved me.

The book sellers from McNally Jackson Book Store were not sure which authors were there so I flipped through all the books. I brought The Unboxing of a Black Girl by Angela Shante, Buffalo Dreamer by Violet Duncan, and James by Percival Everett.

After listening to the authors read their works, I was happy with my selection. Angela Shante is a writer from the Bronx. The Unboxing of a Black Girl had a lot of topics I could connect with. The selection she read about schools and education was perfect. She even invited herself to my school while signing my book! Violet Duncan’s work I brought to share with my fifth graders. I was looking for work by a Native American writer and once I came across the story, felt it was perfect. Percival Everett’s work I thought reminded me of writing by James McBride and Sadeqa Johnson. His work used old black dialect which is something I enjoy.

During the intermission, I ran into professor and children book author, Dr. Michael Datcher. I met him in Philly last year and was happy to see him again. He spoke life over our writing and craft.

smiling with Percival Everett
Smiling with Dr. Michael Datcher

During the reading, I made a mental note to check out some books from the library just because the author read their books so well! Ghostroots by ‘Pemi Aguda, Whiskey Tender by Deborah Jackson Taffa, and Mother by m.s. RedCherries. The best reading (according to me) though came from the Translated Literature selection- The Villain’s Dance by Fiston Mwanza Mujila. The author was so animated I wish I’d taken my French classes more seriously in college. Even the translator, Roland Glasser, didn’t sound as convincing as the Frenchman.

The National Book Awards Ceremony

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I first learned of Jamel Brinkley during the Brooklyn book festival. I made a mental note to read and support the author who was a Bronx (and Brooklyn) native. But was too busy to attend his event during the festival. I was able to meet the author and purchase my copy of A Lucky Man during the National Book Awards Ceremony.

I also was blessed enough to meet poet Elizabeth Acevedo who reminded me of Tami Charles, author of Like Vanessa. I don’t read poetry as  much as I would like and definitely don’t buy poetry. I was surprised to see her novel written in poetry. She did so well during the reading, she made me curious enough to purchase a copy of her book.

Lastly, I met Leslie Connor whose reading style and mannerisms reminded me Kate DiCamillo.

Christopher Paul Curtis

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I was super excited to meet Christopher Paul Curtis at the National Book Awards Ceremony this month! I attended without finding out who were on the finalist list. I love surprises…especially if I can control them in some way.

The first thing I would always do when I arrive at the New School (which is where the ceremony is held) is visit the book seller’s table. I do this even before looking at the program. Looking at the books for sell tells me who I will be listening to that night.

When I came across The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis, I asked the vendor if he Mr. Curtis was going to be there that night. Sometimes authors don’t show up to the event.

Yeah, I believe so, he responded.

And, sure enough. He was there!

I was really happy to meet him in person because his writing kept me up at night as a little girl. His books were among the many books my favorite librarian, Mr. Hardy, placed in my hand when I was in middle school.

When I introduced myself to him during the intermission, he looked at me and smiled.

It’s a pleasure meeting you, Lystria. Do you teach?

Yes! I do! How did you know?

I actually didn’t. I didn’t know weather to ask if you taught or how old you were! You look so young.

Thank you, Thank you. I get that I a lot. I teach third grade.

Oh, third grade! I still remember my third grade teacher.

He signed my book and we spoke a little bit about his writing habits. I had remembered some of his habits by reading all of his books closely over and over again as a little girl.

Do you still wake up at 6 to write?

He started smiling. Well, Lystria, it’s getting earlier and earlier.

After we spoke, I met other authors. But meeting him and hearing him speak was by far the most nostalgic and settling for me.

Before I left, he introduced me to his wife Mrs. Curtis and author, Andrea Pinkney. They all looked at me in my eyes and told me how thankful they were that I was teaching.

Thank you for teaching our children.  They told me constantly.

I would be lying if I told you I did not leave that event feeling better then when I walked in. The same feeling I felt after reading  Bud, not Buddy or The Watsons go to Birmingham had returned to me when I met Christopher Paul Curtis in person.