The Awards You Really Wanted to Know About

Just because I've written about these books in the past, it seemed fair to mention...

Lamentations of the Father, by Ian Frazier, won the Thurber Prize for humor. I was so hoping for Wrack and Ruin, but admittedly, Frazier was the only author selling off the display so bookmakers would have probably gone with him.

Peace, by Richard Bausch, won the Dayton Peace Prize. Here's more info. Not surprised that Gordon Lish was a judge; it seems like a book he'd like. Based on stock levels at our wholesaler, it doesn't seem to be moving units. They've pulled it out of our primary warehouse.

Here's an article on how the favorite finally won the Man Booker Prize. It's my thought that if the odds are usually wrong, then it's a surprise when the favorite wins. And if the odds started out as 12-1, isn't this like a horserace where they continue to bet on the horses after they are out of the starting gate and the one in the lead has the best odds? I'm glad Americans don't focus on literary betting, or the whole thing would confound me.

Here's a list of finalists for the New Mexico Book Awards. Don't you think this is a good example of too many categories?

And of course the prize nearest to my heart, at least now that I've heard of it? It's the Samuel Johnson (yes, the "James Bowell" Samuel Johnson)Prize for nonfiction writing. This year' winner was Leviathan by Philip Hoare. Needless to say, the title is being changed to The Whale when it is released by Ecco in February 2010. Much better!

Thurber Prize Committee Agrees--"Wrack and Ruin" is the Funniest Novel of Last Year

Now how can I make this pronouncement?

Look at the other nominees?

Lamentations of the Father, by Ian Frazier. Essays. Didn't read it, but read two of his other books and have a subscription to the New Yorker. I "pay" to read it on "paper." Does that count?

I was Told There'd be Cake, by Sloane Crosley. Essays. Hilarious Essays, but essays none the same. Just sold this to my ex-coworker Carrie, visiting from Portland. Sent an email to me saying, "You've still got it. Book is just what I was looking for." Totally paraphrased. But Carrie, you understand that this sort of feedback is a bookseller's coke fix. Unless the bookseller is addicted to cocaine. Then coke is sort of his or her coke fix. Thanks, Carrie.

The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death, by Laurie Notaro. Essays. Sadly, I've never read a Notaro. They're so easy to sell because I've worked with so many other booksellers who loved her that I can always quote one of them. It's no excuse. I'm sad.

Look! Just one novelist! That makes Don Lee's Wrack and Ruin the funniest novel. Hurray. Vindication. Go buy the book. From me. I'd like to sell more.

Winner announced October 1st. Or so Associated Press says. Totally paraphrased.