The National Book Awards, Funny Dishes, and Party Pics

Congratulations are in order for Louise Erdrich, whose new novel The Round House has won the National Book Award. Here’s Erdrich reading from the novel, and being interviewed for Eleanor Wachtel’s Writers and Company. And to Katherine Boo, who won the National Book Award for non-fiction, for Behind The Beautiful Forevers. You can read about some of the people that populate her new book in this 2009 New Yorker essay.

Some party pics from the Hilary Weston Writer’s Trust Prize for Nonfiction.

Chris Ware, interviewed in the Post, on becoming a parent: “Suddenly your energy goes outward … which is the way the universe works. You’re giving out rather than taking in.” Chris Randle also interviewed the cartoonist, for Hazlitt, here.

Also, David Rees is doing episode recaps for Top Chef, and the man made famous for sharpening pencils is hella on point, taking the air out of foamed geoduck haute cuisine concoctions and just a little of the piss out of Tom Colicchio. Speaking of hilarious gastrotainment writing, this NYT resturaunt review of Guy Fieri’s new Times Square joint is, as the ebullient TV host himself might say, OFF THE HOOK, AW YEAH—NOW THAT’S FLAVOUR TOWN, RIGHT THERE.

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Photo by Sherrie Blondin