You can watch it stream live.  GalleyCat is great because they give you a sample from each of the finalists. Here’s the link from the NBF‘s own page.

The late Anthony Shadid, Oklahoma City born writer and journalist,  is a non-fiction finalist for House of Stone. Hope he will receive the award. Morning Media Menu podcast is supposed to announce the winners in the morning. An alternative to the rather high-brow offerings of the National Book folks would be the Goodreads Choice Awards.  The  categories alone are enough to draw you in.

In 2010, there were 1,115 books submitted for the National Book Awards.
The number of books by genre:

• Fiction: 302
• Nonfiction: 435
• Poetry: 148
• Young People’s Literature: 230

Since 1950, The National Book Awards have recognized the best of American literature. Musician Patti Smith who just won the prize for nonfiction with her memoir, Just Kids, made a plea for publishers and readers not to let technology kill off traditional books.

“There is nothing more beautiful than the book, the paper, the font, the cloth,” she said. “Please never abandon the book.” –Patti Smith

You can watch the November 17th ceremony yourself from the link, Please note that the video contains adult language. Also you’ll be able to see all the finalists and winners listed.

And for another Literary Kittie award worthy site, check out the 2010 World Fantasy Award Winners .  The World Fantasy Convention was held the end of October in Columbus, Ohio where the awards were given out.  I always find good books from the Finalists lists. I’ve got Finch by Jeff VanderMeer checked out from the library right now.

So in this season of awards, winners and finalists, get out there and find some fine reading, and in the words of Patti Smith,

Never Abandon the Book.

Johnson has written 18 books, including Middle Passage which won the 1990 National Book Award for fiction. He has also worked as an editor, cartoonist and journalist, and until his 2009 retirement after 33 years of teaching, was a very popular professor at the University of Washington.

His work focuses on the most philosophical issues of our time, and he regularly challenges readers’ beliefs. His ultimate goal is articulating the broader view of the human experience that transcends race.

This year’s H. Louise & H.E. “Ed” Cobb Speaker Series will be held Nov. 5 in the OSU Library. The welcome reception begins at 6 p.m., with the dinner and lecture at 6:45 p.m. A book signing will follow at 8:30 p.m., where selections of Johnson’s work are available for purchase.

Individual tickets are $100; half is a tax-deductible gift to the Friends of the OSU Library. (That’s a good deal!) Sponsorship opportunities are also available. All proceeds from the event directly benefit the OSU Libraries.

For more information or to make reservation call 405-7901 or visit www.library.okstate.edu/friends/.

I’ve been to the Cobb Speaker Series before, and it was a nice, intimate evening with the guest author.