Each year, the National Book Awards are given to one book in 5 different categories: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translation, and young people’s literature. This year’s winners will be announced on Nov. 15 at the 74th National Book Awards Ceremony in New York City, which will be hosted by actor and literary advocate LeVar Burton. The list of finalists has been released, so it’s a good time to check out some of these wonderful books ahead of the ceremony!
One of the front-runners in the fiction category is “This Other Eden,” a novel by Paul Harding about a small, mixed-race community living on an island off the state of Maine, the members of which are forcibly removed (and, some, institutionalized) by eugenics-embracing state officials. The story is based on the real island of Malago, and its inhabitants, who were forced off in the early 1900s. The lyrical prose is reminiscent of the author’s book, “Tinkers,” which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2010. Another nominee is “The End of Drum Time” by Hanna Pylväinen, which has similar themes of cultural injustice and Christian influence, but is set in a small village in Sweden.
For nonfiction, one of the timeliest finalists is “Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World” by John Vaillant, which recounts the devastating 2016 Fort McMurray Fire that drove 88,000 people from their homes, and warns of the increased frequency and ferocity of wildfires in the future. “Liliana’s Invincible Summer” is part memoir, part true-crime investigation by Cristina Rivera Garza, whose sister, Liliana, was murdered by an ex-boyfriend in Mexico at the age of 20. As Cristina travels through the country, tracing her sister’s footsteps and searching for clues to track down her killer, she draws attention to ongoing issues such as femicide and systemic injustice.
Many of the nominees in the poetry category explore culture and identity. “From unincorporated territory [saina]” by Craig Santos Pérez uses visual and experimental poetry to illustrate the history, culture, trauma, and healing of Chamorros in his native Guam. In “From From,” Monica Youn confronts racial identity, prejudice, and belonging from the point of view of an Asian American woman.
In the translation category, “Cursed Bunny” by Bora Chung stands out, as it blends horror, science fiction, fairy tales, and humor into a unique and slightly bizarre compilations of stories. “Beyond the Door of No Return” by David Diop is another favorite, a historical fiction novel with romance, adventure, and mystery. Last, but not least, is the young people’s category, which includes the hilarious and masterfully titled “Huda F Cares“ by Huda Fahmy (sequel to her 2021 graphic novel “Huda F Are You?”), and the feel-good, coming-of-age graphic memoir “A First Time for Everything” by Dan Santat.
These are just a few of the nominees, but you can see a full list at www.nationalbook.org, and access all the books through our library consortium.
Top Requested Books
1. “Tom Lake” by Ann Patchett
2. “Covenant of Water” by Abraham Verghese
3. “The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store” by James McBride
4. “The Exchange” by John Grisham
5. “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus
6. “None of This Is True” by Lisa Jewell
7. “The Woman in Me” by Britney Spears
8. “The Five-Star Weekend” by Elin Hilderbrand
9. “Enough” by Cassidy Hutchinson
10. “Hello Beautiful” by Ann Napolitano
Top Requested DVDs
1. “Barbie”
2. “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1”
3. “Oppenheimer”
4. “Jules”
5. “The Equalizer 3”
6. “The Miracle Club”
7. “Meg 2”
8. “Blue Beetle”
9. “Strays”
10. “Golda”
This Week at the Library
MONDAY — 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Crafternoon To-Go – This month we’re making decorative wreaths out of old books. Pick up your kit in the Makerspace while supplies last; 9 a.m.-8 p.m, Kids Take and Make – Grab a bag of supplies from the Makerspace. One per child, please, while supplies last; 10-10:30 a.m., Mini Monets – Learn about Georgia O’Keefe while painting watercolor flowers in her style. This program is for kids ages 2-5; 2-4 p.m., Quilting Group – Bring your supplies and practice your crafting skills with others; 5:30-7:30 p.m., Monday Night Movie – Join us for a very special screening of this newly released movie starring Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie, as your favorite doll couple. Popcorn will be provided.
TUESDAY — 1-2 p.m. & 4-5 p.m., Tween D&D – We now offer 2 Tuesday programs for tweens to play Dungeons and Dragons! Contact a librarian for more details; 1-4 p.m., Community Resource Advocate –Visit our volunteer Community Resource Advocate, who can help connect you with local services/resources; 4-5:30 p.m., Dungeons and Dragons – This program is for teens in grades 7-12; 5:30-7:30 p.m.; Knit and Crochet Group – a friendly yarn craft club.
WEDNESDAY — 10-10:30 a.m., Storytime – Join us for weekly storytime; 10-11 a.m., Tech Social – Each meeting, we’ll start with a guiding topic and then have time for questions and discussion. This program will take place on Zoom AND in person, but pre-registration is required; 10-11 a.m./4-5 p.m. – Code with Sphero Bolt – Join us for this weekly program to build your coding skills. This program is for grades 4-12; 4-5 p.m., Pride Club – Hang out with other LGBTQIA2+ teens and allies; 5-6 p.m., Tween D&D – Space is limited! Contact a librarian for more details; 6-7:30 p.m., Cookbook Club – We’ll be talking about Melissa Clark’s book “Dinner in One” while enjoying recipes we’ve prepared! Preregistration is required; 6-7:30 p.m., Chorus of Westerly | Bach & Britten: A Pre-concert Lecture – Learn about the lives of J.S. Bach and Benjamin Britten, and their works Magnificat, BWV243 and the ground breaking English cantata, St Nicholas.
THURSDAY — 1-2 p.m., Kids, Tween, and Teen Homeschool Hangouts – Time for homeschool families to connect with each other, grouped by ages; 3:30-4:30 p.m., D&D for Beginners – Join our Tween librarian to learn the basics of Dungeon’s and Dragons; 4-5 p.m., Teen Manga & Anime Club – Draw, read, watch, and chat about all things anime and manga; 4:30-7:30 p.m., Shoreline Robotics – Contact Jay at [email protected] for info about this robotics team open to children in grades 7-12; 5:30-7:30 p.m., Chess Club – Players of all skill levels are invited.
FRIDAY — 10-11 a.m., Project Outreach Veterans Assistance – Members of organization are on site to aid veterans in navigating available benefits and other services; 3:30-5:30 p.m., Shoreline Robotics – A robotics team open to children in grades 7-12.
SATURDAY — The library will be closed for Veterans Day.
Cassie Skobrak is an adult services librarian at the Westerly Library and Wilcox Park.