The finalists for the National Book Award were announced yesterday. Of the 20 finalists, two were from the LA Time’s staff.
Barbara Demick was picked for her nonfiction work “Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea" and the second staffer, Megan K. Stack's, also a nonfiction entry for her "Every Man in This Village Is a Liar: An Education in War."
The inclusion of two journalists from the same publication has not been seen in the National Book Award finalists for more than two decades, according to The National Book Foundation, which is responsible for running the awards.
Times editor Russ Stanton commented that "These nominations underscore our ongoing commitment to foreign news and high-quality journalism. We are extremely honored that the National Book Awards has recognized Barbara and Megan, two of the remarkably talented and dedicated reporters working at the Los Angeles Times."
Rocker Patti Smith was also listed in the nonfiction section for her memoirs titled “Just Kids” but controversy overshadowed the fiction section by a notable exclusion.
Novelist Jonathan Franzen wrote one of the years’ most talked about books, a mammoth tale called “Freedom” which didn’t make the shortlist this year. His last novel, a book called “The Corrections” was the National Book Award winner for 2001.
The National Book Awards are considered one of the highest accolades for writers in the country, with the New York gala on November 17 being the literary world’s most glamorous event.
