Week 16 Prompt

Reading has always been a part of my life.  When I was in elementary school, I did not care very much for reading, mainly because I saw it as a chore because my mom would want us to read a lot over the summer, and I just wanted to play outside rather than read inside.  As I got older, I started to become more aware of what kind of books I was interested in.  It was probably around high school when I started to spend more time reading than hanging with friends or going out.  I remember taking an Adolescent Literature class in college and it was probably my favorite class because I got the chance to read more literature and discuss about it with my classmates.  As I got older, I began to understand how there are other ways of reading, like using audiobooks and ebooks.  I do not know if I will ever use any of these since I prefer the physical material, but I do know I will never stop reading.  As I get older, I may not be able to read as much as I have been able to now, but I know I will continue to read more novels and search for other novels I may enjoy, either from the library or bookstores.  I really hope people will continue to interact with books and not let technology take away the pleasure of reading a good book.  I do not think technology will completely take over since there are people who prefer physical materials than using technology.  There will be plenty of new materials in the future, and I hope to broaden my horizons more and challenge myself to read books that I may feel uncomfortable or am not very knowledgeable about.  I will continue to read many books and explore many new worlds.

Week 15 Prompt

There are many ways a library can market their collections.  One way that I know is to have displays all around the library.  These can be certain genres, certain series, etc.  There are many ways a library can display their collections, even creating little bookmarks on the books that can also tell if they are available in ebook or audiobooks, or even if someone has recommended it.  Another way I can think of is using online tools, like Pinterest or Facebook.  These sites are very popular for people to use, and if more people see them, the more likely they will visit the library.  Also, the library's newsletter, or even the community's newsletter is a good way to spread the word.  At my library, they have monthly newsletters that talk about the library, upcoming programs, and future events.  Technology is becoming the norm for people to use, and if more people use these specific sites, they can become more aware of what is around the community. 

Week 14 Prompt

Libraries separate their books so patrons can find them easily.  But what about LGBTQ and African American novels?  Should they be separated into categories.  I believe they should not be separated for these reasons:
1. Creates segregation problems, especially with the AA books. 
"The publishing industry rather notoriously would not publish books by or about black people until the 1990s, unless those books were deemed of sufficient interest to white readers. Prior to the 1990s it was kind of hard for black readers to find these “accepted” black writers (outside of Black History Month), because there weren’t many of them, and because their works were mixed in with the mainstream. So black readers had to rely on word-of-mouth — which, pre-internet, was actually kind of limiting" (Geer, 2010).
Back then, finding AA books was pretty hard, but now, everyone has a right to publish their works, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, age, etc. 
2. Creates labeling issues, especially the LGBTQ books. 
"Gay characters can't be relegated to some dark corner of the shelf that you need a map to find and an ID to check out. To do so is basically saying to the gay kids, 'There's something dirty about you'" (2016).  This is especially true for young adults who are trying to discover their identity.  If they see these books are separated from the others, they may feel ashamed and embarrassed to be looking at that spot.  Libraries are a place where everyone should have a right to read whatever they wish and not fear of being judged. 
"Individuals who do not identify as straight are most affected by the attacks made on books that present their perspective; but all “LGBTQ kids” have essentially the same needs, rights, and aspirations as anyone else.  In the end, we all have the same rights under the First Amendment to read about and explore the issues that interest us or are meaningful to us – regardless of whether we are straight or gay" (2016).
3. It is just plain wrong.
I think the only time these books should be separated is for display purposes only, but overall, they should be shelved with the other books.  True, there are censorship and religious issues with these books, but that should not violate a person's right to read these books.  If it is something you do not want to read, then do not read them, but do not violate other people's rights just because you do not agree with them.  The library is a neutral place for everyone, regardless of gender, race, religious, etc. 

Resources:
Geer, J.  (2010).  Don't Put My Book in the African American Section.  Retrieved April 14, 2016 from http://nkjemisin.com/2010/05/dont-put-my-book-in-the-african-american-section/
LGBTQ Right to Read Resource Guide.  Retrieved April 14, 2016 from http://ncac.org/resource/krrp-lgbtq-content-right-to-read-resource

Week 13 Prompt

Young Adult Literature and Graphic Novels are becoming popular for teens and young adults, but there are a few people who believe these two genres are considered useless and only for teens.  They are not what adults should be reading since they are "too old" for those kinds of books.  I believe there should not be an age limit when a person can read a book or not.  I may be an adult, yet I still continue to read picture books and young adult novels.  Maybe because they are what can bring back my memories as a child.  But mostly it is because there are books I can relate to, mainly in the young adult section.  Young adult novels are novels many teens can relate to because they deal with real teenage issues, like identity, sense of belonging, self confidence, etc.  Some of the time, it is because I just need an outlet, or someplace to get away from the "adult issues" in life and to just let my mind wander for a while.  I had just finished Leila Sales's novel,  This Song will Save Your Life and it was about a teenage girl who has trouble fitting in at school, but she discovers her talent in DJing and soon she makes friend who like her for her.  I can relate to this because I had trouble making friends in high school, but I found my passion in Show Choir and I was able to make friends. 
I think libraries should keep their young adult and graphic novels because they are materials people can relate to if they take the time to find them and to not worry about what others think when they read a book not considered for their age.  Books shouldn't have an age limit on them.  That is not why they were written.  They were written so everyone can enjoy them, regardless of age. 

The Readers' Advisory Matrix

1.      General Information:

·         Title: Waiting to Be Heard: A Memoir

·         Author: Amanda Knox

·         Publisher: HarperCollins

·         Publication Date: 2013

·         Pages: 463

2.      Where is the book on the narrative continuum?

·         Highly Narrative (reads like fiction)

3.      What is the subject of the book?

·         It is about a young girl who travels to Perugia, Italy to study abroad in 2007.  One day, her roommate is murdered and she is charged for a crime she did not commit, and spends four years in an Italian prison before she is set free.

 

4.      What type of book is it?

·         A memoir written in past tense

 

5.      Articulate appeal:

·         Pacing: It is a fast paced book and reads leisurely.

·         Characters: The characters are fact based, meaning they are all real people.  Amanda Knox (main character), Meredith Kercher (her roommate), Raffaele Sollecito (Knox’s boyfriend), and dozens of people, either from the courts, her time in prison, her family, and people she met while in Italy.

·         Feeling of story: Amanda Knox shares her unflinching and personal account of what she endured from her time in Italy, to her friend’s murder, to her time in prison, and her time when she was set free and flew back to the U.S.

·         Author’s intent: Knox wanted to share her experience and her struggle to convince an Italian court she did not murder her friend.

·         Story’s focus: Amanda Knox’s horrifying experience when her roommate is murdered to her time in Italian prison.

·         Language: It matters as it is told through the author’s voice (includes some Italian dialogue).

·         Setting: Well described and important because it sets up what Italy was like and how she came to understand how Italian court system is very different than U.S. court system.  Describes Italy, in her room, in the courts, and her time in prison.

·         Details: Many details about the court system and what the Italian prison was like as well as her thoughts about all of it.  Includes pictures of Amanda before, during, and after her ordeal.

·         Learning Moments: Amanda Knox’s main goal was to tell her side; a side that was not viewed very much in Italy.  She states how she changed from a young, naïve girl to a fighter and a survivor. 

 

6.      Why would a reader enjoy this book?

·         Learning/experience: A true account of an ordeal that changed a young girl’s life in a foreign country.

·         Tone: Very personal.

·         Intent: Wants to give her account of what actually happened; something she was not taken seriously for. 

Literary Fiction Annotation

Literary Fiction Annotation: The Kite Runner

Author: Khaled Hosseini

Title: The Kite Runner

Genre: Literary Fiction (historical)

Publication Date: 2003

Publisher: Riverhead Books (New York)

Number of Pages: 371 pages

Geographic Setting: Afghanistan, California

Time Period: 1975-2003

Series (if applicable): None

Plot Summary:  The story between two friends, Amir and Hassan, who are from different religious and class, but share a very strong bond.  When Amir witnesses a horrible incident with Hassan, he runs away and distances himself from Hassan, so much to send him away with his father.  As the years pass, Amir is still haunted by that incident, so he decides to right the wrongs with the one person who stood by him.

Subject Headings: Male friendships, betrayal, social classes

Appeal: For those who can enjoy a good book, but this is not considered a “fun” book for pleasure.  For ages 16 and up due to disturbing scenes.

3 Terms that describe book: heartbreaking, redemption seeking, and powerful

Similar Works and Authors:

The Help – Kathryn Stockett: A story about a young woman who dares to do the unthinkable: write a book about the maids who take care of their families.

Unaccustomed Earth – Jhumpa Lahiri: A book that contains eight different stories about different people from different backgrounds that explore the secrets of family life at the heart.

Year of Wonders – Geraldine Brooks: A story about a young woman during the plague of the 17^th century where she confronts this dangerous and deadly disease in England.

Personal Thoughts: As I was reading this novel, I was enjoying how these two twelve-year-old friends did everything together, even enter a kite fighting tournament, where they would fly kites and try to get the other kites to fall and the last one flying would be considered a hero in the village, and the other kids would chase the free kites and whenever they caught them, they could claim them as their own.  But when Hassan experiences an awful incident, Amir witnesses it and runs away.  And because of that, he is ashamed and guilty for not sticking up to his friend for years.  “America was different.  America was a river, roaring along, unmindful of the past.  I could wade into this river, let my sins drown to the bottom, let the waters carry me someplace far.  Someplace with no ghosts, no memories, and no sins.  If for nothing else, for that, I embraced America” (Hosseini, 2003, 119). 

“Literary Fiction is critically acclaimed, often award-winning, fiction.  These books are often character-centered rather than plot-oriented.  They are thought-provoking and often address serious issues.  These are not page-turners, per se, although their fans certainly find them engrossing and compelling reading … Literary Fiction novels present dilemmas that please their readers, whether through singular characters, avant-garde style, or an intellectual approach to serious issues” (Saricks, 2009, 177-8).  This book shows us how the power of regret can haunt a person for a long time and the only way to get pass it is to face that guilt head on.  “A man who has no conscious, no goodness, does not suffer” (263). 

References:

Hosseini, K.  (2003).  The Kite Runner.  New York: Riverhead Books

Saricks, J.  (2009).  The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction.  2nd Ed.  Chicago: American Library Association.

Week 11 Prompt

Audiobooks and ebooks are starting to become more popular within libraries.  For ebooks, they are an electric version of a book, like Kindles.  Audiobooks are books but come with a person reading them.  Each of these devices are useful but in my opinion, in certain ways.  I am more of a person who would rather hold the book in my hands and keep it so I can read it again in the near future.  I am not really into the whole Kindles.  But I think Kindles are great for those who can just read a book on an electronic device and can carry it wherever they can.  They can even change the font and size so they can read it in a style that in comfortable for them.  There are people who have bad eye-sights and it can be a challenge to find books with big fonts, so this would be a big advantage for using ebooks.  Audiobooks are also great for those who are interested in hearing it rather than reading it.  Also great for those with bad eyes.  Hearing it in another person's voice can add more dynamic to the story as well as creating a better image of what is happening.
I admit I have never used any of these, but I would like to sometime in the future, just to get a feel of what it is like to read a book electronically and hearing a book in another person's voice.  These two are great for those who cannot read a book very well as well as for those with bad eye-sights.  For library purposes, they are becoming popular and I think libraries should keep them.  There are people who prefer audiobooks and ebooks rather than holding the actual book.  Everyone has different thought about these two, but the one thing that will never change is people have their own ways of reading.

Western Annotation

Western Annotation: Last Bus to Wisdom

Author: Ivan Doig

Title: Last Bus to Wisdom

Genre: Western (historical fiction)

Publication Date: 2015

Publisher: Riverhead Books (New York)

Number of Pages: 453 pages

Geographic Setting: Montana, Wisconsin

Time Period: 1951

Series (if applicable): None

Plot Summary:  Eleven year old Donal heads to Wisconsin to stay with his Great Aunt Kate and Uncle Herman while his grandmother undergoes an operation for the summer.  But while there, he finds his bossy and argumentative Aunt is too much for him, so when she decides to send him to an orphanage back in Montana, he boards a Greyhound bus, along with Uncle Herman (unbeknownst to Kate) and the two of them set off for the adventure of a lifetime.

Subject Headings: Travelers, West, Indians

Appeal: For those who enjoy a good western tale about adventure and family.  For ages 14 and up due to some foul languages.

3 Terms that describe book: Adventurous, coming-of-age, long.

Similar Works and Authors:

The Hour of Lead – Bruce Holbert: A tale of a young man named Matt who is left to take care of the ranch after his brother and father die and his mother walks out and has to learn life’s hardest lessons on his own.

Beyond the Horizon – Ryan Ireland: A story about a man’s pursuit to find the man who murdered his pregnant friend and her unborn child.

Honey for the Lion – Matthew Neil Null: A tale about a man’s new home where he is put to the test of where his loyalty stands in the midst of a union strike.

Personal Thoughts: “In traditional Westerns we expect cowboys, cattle drives, gunslingers, adventure, and gunplay … However, creating a strong a sense of time and place, the feel of the Old West is essential.  Westerns speak to basic, deep-seated feelings about the land and the men who brought justice to the wild, uninhabited country and thus helped make it safe for those who civilized it” (Saricks, 2009, 313). 

Cowboys, gunshots, and adventure is what I would expect in a Western novel, since I am not so knowledgeable in this genre, but Last Bus to Wisdom left me with a good sense of what a Western novel is like.  In this book, there are cowboys, talk of the West and Indians, but the biggest thing I found is how the main character, Donal, comes to realize what people are like and how the West is filled with adventure and room to grow personally in the process, as well as finding where you belong. 

“It sank in on me.  No one in the entire world know that the two of us were free as the breeze.  Herman wasn’t merely flapping his lips; we really were footloose, crazily like the comic strip characters in Just Trampin’ who were always going on the lam, hopping on freight trains or bumming rides from tough truck drivers to stay a jump ahead of the sheriff.  Or at least bus-loose – the fleet of Greyhounds ran anywhere we wanted to go.  It was a dizzying prospect.  Goodbye battle-ax wife, for him, and no Hello, orphanage, for me – it was as simple as sitting tight in a bus seat to somewhere known only to us, the Greyhound itself on the lam from all we were leaving behind” (Doig, 2015, 228-9).

I really enjoyed reading this book, but I would have to say my favorite moments are when Donal asks people who interest him to sign his autograph book.  My favorite can be found on page 38.  If you want to know what it says, you will just have to read it for yourself and find out.

References:

Saricks, J.  (2009).  The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction.  2nd Ed.  Chicago: American Library Association.

Doig, I.  (2015).  Last Bus to Wisdom.  New York: Riverhead Books.

 

Fantasy Annotation

Fantasy Annotation: Neverwhere

Author: Neil Gaiman

Title: Neverwhere

Genre: Fantasy (science fiction/adventure)

Publication Date: 1996

Publisher: Avon Books (New York)

Number of Pages: 370 pages

Geographic Setting:  London

Time Period: unknown

Series (if applicable): None

Plot Summary:  Richard Mayhew lives a simple life until he helps a hurt, young woman named Door who states she is from under London.  When she leaves, he finds he has been erased from the world, meaning no one knows him and he does not exist.  He discovers that under London is actually a whole new world where mystical creatures, murderers, and angels live.  He finds Door, and meets Hunter and Marquis de Carabas, and decides to help her find out who killed her family as well as finding a way to get his life back.

Subject Headings: underground areas, subway, angels,

Appeal: For those who love a good fantasy where monsters and humans exist.  Ages 16 and over due to some gruesome and disturbing scenes.

3 Terms that describe book: twisting, adventurous, and dark

Similar Works and Authors:

The Midnight Mayor – Kate Griffin: A story about a sorcerer Matthew Swift who discovers the secret behind the magical wards of London.

Whispers Underground – Ben Aaronovitch: A story about an apprentice sorcerer who teams up with the last remaining wizard to figure out who killed a young teenager in the London subway.

The Naming of the Beast – Mike Carey: A tale of Felix Castor, who must decide how to face a deadly demon who is roaming the streets.

Personal Thoughts: Fantasy is not one of my strongest genres, but I have started to figure out what kind of fantasy books I like, and this one is definitely one I have never read before.  The thought of a world underneath a city just blew me away, especially a world where angels and murderers live.  “Richard wondered where they were.  This didn’t seem to be a sewer.  Perhaps it was a tunnel for telephone cables, or for very small trains.  Or for … something else.  He realized that he did not know very much about what went on beneath the streets of London” (Gaiman, 1996, 42). 

I would have to say what I liked about this book was the many twists and turns that came with is, as well as Richard figuring out how to face his fears to help his new friends.  What is different about this book is how it is written.  Usually each chapter involves different characters, or one side story is a chapter and the next chapter is another story.  But this one, each paragraph switched to Door and Richard, and the next is about another character, but they do come together. 

Either way, this book is definitely unlike anything I have ever read, but in a good way.  “Fantasy is ultimately an optimistic genre, with the forces of good eventually conquering the evil (although it may take several long books in a series to accomplish this).  The pattern of the genre leads to a hopeful outcome, no matter how grievous the trials along the way” (Saricks, 2009, 269).

References:

Gaiman, N. (1996).  Neverwhere.  New York: Avon Books.

Saricks, J.  (2009).  The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction.  2nd Ed.  Chicago: American Library Association.

 

 

Book Discussion

               

         
              While I have attended programs at my library, this would be the second time I have attended a book discussion.  The first time it was an adult book discussion that mainly talked about female books with females called Round Table Readers, which usually meets on the third Wednesday each month.  This book discussion was different.  This book discussion was called First Thursday Afternoon Book Discussion Group.  This was also an adult discussion and this group meets the first Thursday of every month and it mainly talks about classic and award-winning books. 

               The program was on Thursday March 3, 2016 at 1:00-2:00 (actually it ran to 2:15 because there was so much to talk about.) in one of the  available meeting rooms. When I got there, there were a total of six other people: five females and one male (actually two males since the director of the group was male as well).  This was a first for me because I usually go to a program where there were mainly females, so it was great to have a male attendee and a male director.  Another thing I noticed was I was the youngest person in there, while everyone else was in their 40's and 50's.  There was also a hot pot of coffee available for everyone who wanted a cup.  The book we discussed was Erik Larson’s The Devil in the White City.  It is a historical nonfiction story about the Chicago World’s Fair in the late 1890’s where it is told through two men; one is an architect and the other is a sinister murderer. 

‘It is to be desired, let us say, that it should be better understood than it yet seems to be by some of your fellow citizens, that the Fair is not to be a Chicago Fair.  It is a World’s Fair, and Chicago is to stand before the world as the chosen standard bearer for the occasion of the United States of America.  All Chicago can afford to take nothing less than the very best site that can be found for the fair, regardless of the special local interests of one quarter of the city or another’ (Larson, 2003, 54-5).

This book actually was a finalist for the National Book Awards for Nonfiction.  It started out as the director mentioning upcoming events and what the next book discussion will be as well as asking others suggestions about future discussions.  A couple of people mentioned books, mostly Willa Cather books.  Once that was done, everyone had a chance to speak their thoughts.   I admitted that I had only read a little bit into it, but I made a connection between the Fair and the Indiana State Fair a few years ago when the stage collapsed and killed people, where there were people killed at the Chicago Fair too.  There were a couple other people who had not finished, but there was still a lot to talk about.  One of the women did finish the book and she talked about how she liked how the murderer character went on about his business and how he plotted to kill his victims.  Another person disagreed and how she found is behavior odd and scary at times.  We all came to the agreement how psychopath was an unfamiliar word at that time and how this began the idea of profiling murderers.  The characters in the story could realize there was something odd about the murderer character, but they could not label him since profiling was not yet used.  We also discovered this Fair was where the Ferris wheel was invented and how this gave women the opportunities to find jobs, which lead to many vulnerable people becoming targets for the murderer character.  All the females came to the conclusion that women should watch out for the charming guys and powerful people can do evil things.  The male attendee talked about how this Fair showcased Chicago after the big Chicago Fire, especially its landscapes and buildings.  He mentioned how he used to work as an electrician and how Chicago used lights to show their buildings, even in the dark when the Fair was still going on. 

            I really enjoyed going to this group and it turned out to be a good discussion.  Even though I was not done with the book, this discussion made me want to keep reading to see what it was really like to read through the mind of a psychopath and an architect trying to create something worthwhile at the Chicago World’s Fair.  Plus, we were all able to talk about something about the book.  I really liked how everyone got the chance to speak what was on their minds.  Everyone has different views on books and it is encouraging to hear what others think.  So next month’s reading will be Melanie Benjamin’s The Aviator’s Wife, which tells the story of Anne and Charles Lindbergh.  It sounds like a good book, so there could be a chance I will return next month on April 7^th and find out what the discussion will be like. 

Resource:
Larson, E.  (2003).  The Devil in the White City.  New York: Vintage Books.

Special Topics Paper: Literary Awards

*My paper is way too long for this post, so I will include segments*

Literary Award Definition:

           Have you ever noticed on a book that sometimes there are little gold or silver stickers on the lower side of the book?  Usually that indicates it won a literary award.  So what exactly is a literary award?

"A literary award is an award presented in recognition of a particularly lauded literary piece or body of work. It is normally presented to an author.  Most literary awards come with a corresponding award ceremony. Many awards are structured with one organization (usually a non-profit organization) as the presenter and public face of the award, and another organization as the financial sponsor or backer, who pays the prize remuneration and the cost of the ceremony and public relations, typically a corporate sponsor who may sometimes attach their name to the award" (Literary Award, 2015).

When a book receives an award, it is a symbol meaning they have been recognized for being a really good book.  The author is recognized for creating a true work of art.  Usually a literary award is rewarded annually, unless something happens and they have to cancel.  There have been some occasions that has occurred. 

            There are all kinds of literary awards.  Mostly in genres, like Fiction, Non-Fiction, Science Fiction, etc. 

"There are also awards dedicated to works in individual languages, e.g. the Miguel de Cervantes Prize (Spanish), and the Camões Prize (Portuguese), and the Man Booker Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, and the Hugo Awards (English).  Some of the most notable literary prizes include the Nobel Prize in Literature, the Franz Kafka Prize and the Jerusalem Prize.  There are also spoof awards, such as The Literary Review Bad Sex in Fiction Award, the Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year, and the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction and Lyttle Lytton Contests, which are both given to deliberately bad sentences" (2015).

           The truth is there are so many awards in literature.  It is hard to keep track of how many literary awards there are.  But the one thing that is very true is when a book is awarded, it is recognized for its creativity and having an impact on its readers.

Major Literary Awards: Nobel Prize in Literature

            

It is true there are so many literary awards, but there is a category of being the most major awards in literature.  Some of them include:  Booker Prize, Caldecott Medal, National Book Award, National Book Critics Circle Award, Newbery Medal, Nobel Prize for Literature, PEN/Faulkner Award, Pulitzer Prize, Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, and the EMMA Awards (Book Awards, 1997-2016). 

            The award I should talk about is the Nobel Prize for Literature.  “‘The said interest shall be divided into five equal parts, which shall be apportioned as follows: /- - -/ one part to the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction ...’” (Nobel Prize, 2014).  This is an excerpt from the will of Alfred Nobel, whom the Nobel Award is named after.  This is considered huge if an author is awarded a Nobel Prize because they will be known as a Nobel Laureate. 

             How the nomination process works is like this:  The award is usually awarded by the Swedish Academy in Sweden.  The Nobel Committee sends out nomination notices and letters to those who qualify to nominate, usually past laureates, university professors, members of the Swedish Academy, and presidents of literature socialites.  The notices are sent out in September to about 600+ individuals and organizations.  February is when the deadline for nominations is due.  The preliminary candidates are chosen in April (around 15-20 names) and May is when the final candidates are chosen (about 5 names).  In the summer, the Academy evaluates the works, and prepares individual reports about the work.  September is when they get together and select the merits for the selected works.  In October, the Nobel Laureates are voted, chosen and announced.  On December 10 in Stockholm, Sweden, the newly Nobel Laureates receive their Nobel Medal and Diploma, and a document confirming the prize amount at the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony (Nomination and Selection of Literature Laureates, 2014). 

"At the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden, on 10 December, presentation speeches extoll the Nobel Laureates and their discovery or work, after which His Majesty the King of Sweden hands each Laureate a diploma and a medal. The event is followed by the Nobel Banquet, with 1,300 guests, held at the Blue Hall of the Stockholm City Hall since 1934" (Ceremonies Archive, 2014).
Some Laureates include: Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, Toni Morrison, Albert Camus, and our recent Laureate, Svetlana Alexievich.

            The Nobel Prize in Literature is a major literary award, usually awarded to the authors rather than the books.  The authors are recognized for their courage in writing, mastery in art and narratives, and mastery in creating works of pure genius. 

Crime/Mystery/Thriller Awards: The Edgar Award
             Some awards in this category include: Agatha Award, Edgar Award, Macavity Award, and the Shamus Award (Book Award, 1997-2016).  I’ll focus on the Edgar Award since this may be an award not very many people have heard of before.

            The Edgar Award, in honor of Edgar Allan Poe, is presented by The Mystery Writers of America to the best in mystery fiction and nonfiction produced the previous year. Awards are made in various categories, including Best novel, Best first novel by an American author, Best fact crime and Best short story. The first Edgar was awarded in 1954 (The Edgar Award, 2016).

           This sounds like an interesting award since Edgar Allen Poe is one of the darkest writers in the Literature world.  So what are the guidelines for this award?

"All books, short stories and television shows in the mystery, crime, suspense, and intrigue fields are eligible for Edgar Awards in their respective category if they were published or produced for the first time in the U.S. during the 2016 calendar year. Books from non-U.S. publishers are eligible if they are widely distributed in the U.S. and are readily available on the shelves in brick-and-mortar stores for the first time during 2016" (“Special order” titles would not qualify) (Edgar Award Category Information, 2016).

            Unfortunately, there is not a lot of information about the process and when these awards are awarded, but they are awarded annually.  Past winners include William Bayer for Peregrine, James Lee Burke for Cimarron Rose, and last year’s winner, Stephen King for Mr. Mercedes.  I admit I am not a big fan of this category, but there are a lot of people who like Mystery Thrillers.  This award is one I have never heard of before, and it is amazing there is such an award in honor of Edgar Allen Poe.  Plus, the Edgar Head Trophy looks really interesting.  I have never heard of an award in the shape of a head before.

Fiction/Poetry Awards: Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction

            Awards listed in this category include: American Book Awards, Audie Awards, Black Caucus of the ALA Literary Awards, Booker Prize, Bread Loaf Bakeless Prize, Costa Book Awards, Governor General's Literary Awards, Guardian First Book Award, International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize, Lambda Literary Awards, Lannan Literary Awards, Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize, Minnesota Book Awards, National Book Award, National Book Critics Circle Award, Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award, PEN/Faulkner Award, PEN/Hemingway Award, Pulitzer Prize, Reference and User Services Association Awards, Thurber Prize, Betty Trask Award, and the Walt Whitman Award (Book Award, 1997-2016).  The award I will talk about is not listed: the Baileys Women’s Prize.  "Launched in 1996, the Prize is awarded annually and celebrates excellence, originality and accessibility in women’s writing from throughout the world. The winner receives a cheque for £30,000 and a limited edition bronze known as a ‘Bessie’, created by the artist Grizel Niven. Both are anonymously endowed". (Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction, 2015).  [Over 33,000 dollars]

             It is great to see there is an award that strictly goes to females.  It is quite rare.  Here is how the judging works:

"Every June, a panel of five women, all passionate readers and at the top of their respective professions, choose the winner of the BAILEYS Women’s Prize for Fiction.  The whole process starts early autumn of the previous year. Booktrust — the Prize administrators — invites UK publishers to submit eligible books, while the Prize Director (Harriet Hastings) approaches potential judges.  Judges are appointed by the end of the year and plunge immediately into reading their allotted books, before meeting to decide the longlist, the shortlist and — shortly before the Award Ceremony — the winner.  The judges are given the key criteria for the Prize – accessibility, originality and excellence in writing by women. They are asked to forget about reviews, publicity spends, an author’s previous reputation, the sense of ‘who deserves it’ and choose simply on the basis of novels that inspire them, move them, make them think – and that they admire and enjoy" (Judging, 2015)!

          An award designed for women, judged by women, and awarded to women is unlike anything I have ever heard of before.  Plus, the award is called a “Bessie.”  Winners include: Kate Grenville for The Idea of Perfection, Tea Obreht for The Tiger’s Wife, and last year’s winner, Ali Smith for How to Be Both.

"The inspiration was the Booker Prize of 1991 when none of the six shortlisted books was by a woman, despite some 60% of novels published that year being by female authors.  A group of women and men working in the industry – authors, publishers, agents, booksellers, librarians, journalists – therefore met to discuss the issue.  Research showed that women’s literary achievements were often not acknowledged by the major literary prizes.  The idea for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction – previously the Orange Prize for Fiction – was born" (FAQ, 2015).

Book Sales: Up or Down?

         So with all of these awards and medals given to the author and their works, does that have a big significant sales increase or does it stay the same?  I have always wondered when a book gets recognized, do people become more aware of its existence?  Or is it just for a while the book becomes known and then it dies down once more books become known? 

        Sometimes when a book is recognized, there could be some who go on television to do interviews about the book, like the Oprah Winfrey show where she sometimes talks about her favorite books in the Oprah Book Club.  There could also be posts online about the specific book and to encourage people to purchase it, which could lead to spikes in book sales.  According to Smith (2009), that is what happened to Christopher Curtis, whose book Bud, Not Buddy won both the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott Key Author Award in 2000. 

"After Mr. Curtis, who lives in Windsor, Ontario, won this week, the book jumped from 5,400th to fifth on the Amazon.com best-seller list. ‘It was above all the Harry Potter books,’ said the author with amazement in his voice as he sat over lunch at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York. Mr. Curtis said he never set out to write a young adults' book. All that has ever mattered to him, he said, was to tell a story" (p. B9).

That is incredible.  Going from 5,400 to 5 just after he won.  That shows how big a book can go on a list just after winning a major award, or in this case, two major awards.  Now what about another award?  In Vicky Smith (2013), “The ‘Caldecott Effect,’” it states:

"While it is now a given that Caldecott Medal and honor books experience a rush immediately following the announcement of the winners, sometimes occasioning an embarrassing delay in acquisition for those libraries that did not have the foresight to correctly predict and order them, it is also true that sales tail off over time. Some individual titles have become perennial favorites and continue to perform strongly, but as a whole, the older a Caldecott winner is, the more subdued its sales are" (p. 10-11).

This does make sense.  When a book is honored, there is a rush in book sales and libraries are sometimes asked to put holds on specific books.  Just how big is the book sales?  In 2012, Nielsen BookScan did a scan on book sales, and this is what they discovered to Fiction writer Louise Erdrich: 

"Fiction winner Louise Erdrich's The Round House (Harper) sold 30,000 of its 47,000 copies since its victory, according to Nielsen BookScan. In its first week after winning, the book saw a 143% increase at outlets tracked by BookScan, going from 2,000 copies sold to 5,000 copies sold. Since its win, Erdrich's novel has steadily kept increasing in weekly sales, moving 9,000 copies for the week ending December 9" (Measuring the National Book Award Sales Effect, 2012).

            This just shows how huge a spike in book sales and go.  When a book has a stamp of approval, people become more aware and they would want to read it too.  There have been times when I have heard of a book winning some kind of award and I would try to find it at my public library or if I was brave enough, I would buy it at a book store.  Most of the time, it has turned out that I made a good decision.  According to Ewart (2011), “Book Awards – do they stimulate sales?”, she stated “The increased sales for a prize winning title may rest on which part of the book’s sales cycle it is in when it receives the award, Geoff [Walker] believes. ‘If it has been on the market for 18 months when it receives a prize, the sales may not lift much’” (Ewart, 2011).  I would have never thought of that because the longer the book is displayed, the bigger chance the book will downside in sales.  “In essence, winning prizes enhances the reputation of a book and brings it to wider public attention. But sales will only reflect the wider appeal of any prize winning fiction or nonfiction title” (2011).  I guess it all depends on what the book is and what it is about that will determine if it will sell or not, despite winning a major award, or any kind of award in that matter.

"While an initial Caldecott bump in sales comes from two sources - libraries and consumers - with the exception of those perennial favorites, when older Caldecott titles sell, it is primarily to libraries. Nielsen BookScan data reveal negligible retail sales of most older titles, but many of the librarians surveyed express either a personal or institutional determination to keep their Caldecott winners in their collections" (Smith, 2013, 10).

Conclusions:
           
             As it turns out, there are so many literary awards, I could not find a specific number.  But what I did find was the literary awards are usually divided into different categories, ranging from genres, language, and even spoofs.  I noticed there are a couple of genres where the same awards are listed, so that could mean they fall into many other categories besides just one.  The process of deciding who wins can take many months and there are usually a step-by-step process of how to determine those winners.  It is usually a yearly process and each medal is given at different days.  There is usually an award ceremony where they are presented with their medals and give speeches about their works. I like that most authors receive a medal and some kind of money reward.  Some just get a statue and public awareness, or there could be a chance they just get awareness and a magnum of champagne (which is better than nothing). 

"It has long been understood that the Randolph Caldecott Medal is one of the two brass rings of the children's literature world. The lucky illustrator who grabs it wins both literary immortality and a better-than-average royalty check for the foreseeable future. Less immediately, he or she joins a continuum of excellence that rewards the creation of excellent narrative art for an audience historically undervalued by society as a whole" (Smith, 2013, 9). 

           Authors work very hard to create books people would want to enjoy reading.  They spend many months working on something worthwhile and there comes that once-in-a-lifetime chance where one of their works is recognized and they are rewarded for that hard work.  Each medal is different and there are all kinds of literary awards, but the one thing that is definitely true for all of the literary awards is each author is accepted into a class where authors before them have been where they have been. 

·         As mentioned before, there are hundreds of literary awards.  For a full list (though not complete) of American awards, as well as awards in other countries and languages can be found on Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_literary_awards

Resources:
Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction.  (2015).  Retrieved February 25, 2016 from http://www.womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/
Book Awards.  (1997-2016).  Retrieved February 25, 2016 from http://www.bookspot.com/awards/
Ceremonies Archive.  (2014).  Retrieved February 25, 2016 from http://www.nobelprize.org/ceremonies/archive/Edgar Award Category Information.  (2016).  Retrieved February 25, 2016 from http://mysterywriters.org/edgars/edgar-award-category-information/

Ewart, J.  (2011).  Book Awards - do they stimulate sales?  Retrieved February 25, 2016 from http://www.booksellers.co.nz/book-news/trade-news/book-awards-%E2%80%93-do-they-stimulate-sales

FAQ.  Retrieved February 25, 2016 from http://www.womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/about/faq

Judging.  Retrieved February 25, 2016 from http://www.womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/about/judging

Literary Awards.  (2015).  Retrieved February 25, 2016 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literary_award

Measuring the National Book  Award Sales Effect.  Retrieved February 25, 2016 from http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/55139-measuring-the-national-book-award-sales-effect.html

Nobel Prize.  (2014).  Retrieved February 25, 2016 from http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/

Nomination and Selection of Literature Laureates.  (2014).  Retrieved February 25, 2016 from http://www.nobelprize.org/nomination/literature/

Smith, D.  (2000).  "From Assembly Line to Book Awards."  New York Times, 149(51275), B9.

Smith, V.  (2013).  "The 'Caldecott Effect.'"  Children & Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children,  11(1), 9-13. 

The Edgar Award.  Retrieved February 25, 2016 from http://www.bookprizeinfo.com/showprize.php?prize=22