Thought everyone might like to see and possibly comment on the Award list for each category announced yesterday. Some familiar names and some not so familiar - which is why these award lists can be so interesting. Also I like them because they underline the gamble (small and big) publishing houses take every year, anticipating our interest and the general pulse of the country. Thank goodness we have lots to choose from still with all that's going on! Congratulations to all of the authors who won - it is a career-making honor for them.

FICTION
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout


GENERAL NONFICTION

Slavery by Another Name by Douglas A. Blackmon

HISTORY

The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon-Reed

BIOGRAPHY

American Lion by Jon Meacham

POETRY

Shadow of Sirius by S.W. Merwin

DRAMA

Ruined by Lynn Nottage

Thank you so much Mary, so nice to have all these in one place, and now to go build an extra bookshelf!

I started Olive Kitteridge last evening. I will enjoy every page.

I am not a fan of Olive Kitteridge. I love to hear what others thought??? A couple of the stories were okay but not great and some didn't belong. Anyone else?

Came through on twitter yesterday. Thanx!

Is it a bad thing that I've never even heard of any of these books? I swear. I really do read more than just chick lit!

Katie, I had heard of Olive Kitteridge only the day before the announcement. Certainly didn't know this was up for an awared, but I had read another Elizabeth Strout and knew I wanted to read this one.

KrisT wrote: "I am not a fan of Olive Kitteridge. I love to hear what others thought??? A couple of the stories were okay but not great and some didn't belong. Anyone else?"

I found her character to be complex and multi-layered - exactly the kind of protagonist that intrigues me most (because I see myself?). I think Elizabeth Stout painted Olive as a complicated human being, the gray between the black and white. The more I saw of that, the more fascinating the book became. (Kind of like a House, M.D. type or the characters on MadMen if you're into tv.)

I agree not every story was equally compelling, but I found those where Olive figured most prominently to also be the most interesting. I really did enjoy this book.

It is in my book to read list. I have library books out so they take first place becasue of due dates, but I intend to read it real soon.

I really want to read this book. None of my book websites have it though. I am going to have to wait a while on this one.