The Center for Fiction’s annual benefit and awards dinner on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at the University Club, 1 West 54 Street in Manhattan, will honor Nan Graham, Senior Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of Scribner with its 2011 Maxwell E. Perkins Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Field of Fiction.
Named for Maxwell E. Perkins, of Scribner, one of the most important and admired editors in American literary history, the award goes to an editor who In her 16-year span at Scribner has ushered into print works by writers such as Don DeLillo, who will present the award to Graham, as well as Stephen King, Annie Proulx, Amy Hempel, Ann Beattie, Kate Walbert, Kathy Reichs, Carol Edgarian, Rafael Yglesias, and Colm Tóibín.
Graham has introduced new writers such as Monica Ali, Dana Spiotta, Anthony Doerr, Rachel Kushner, Belinda McKeon, and Miranda July.
Another Graham author, Jeanette Walls, will be master of ceremonies at the event, which also features the announcement of the winner of the Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize. 6:30 p.m. cocktails, 7:30 p.m. dinner. Contact Esther McGowan at esther@centerforfiction.org or 212-755-6710 to purchase tickets.
Additional author appearances this week:
- Monday Dec. 5 the 92nd Street Y, Kaufman Concert Hall, Lexington Ave. and 92 St., hosts a joint appearance by Oscar Hijuelos, a Pulitzer Prize winner whose new memoir is Thoughts Without Cigarettes, and William Kennedy, whose new novel is Chango’s Beads and Two-Tone Shoes. 8 p.m. $19 admission, $10 for those under 35.
- Tuesday, Dec. 6 at Barnes and Noble Upper West Side, Writers-to- Watch Round Table features Rob Byrnes, Michael Graves and Laurie Weeks, 7 p.m. Free.
- Wednesday Dec. 7 at Barnes and Noble Union Square, Stephen Sondheim will discuss his new book Look, I Made a Hat, his second volume of collected lyrics plus commentary, with Anna Quindlen. 7 p.m. Free.
Meanwhile, announcements of new best 2011 books will be featured in this space as they are made, and/or on my Twitter account @GraceNY.
Comments