“I am not so much of an imbecile that I didn’t crave the audience the award would bring, even if it was perhaps true my novel did not quite measure up to the best in the competition, but after reading The Shipping News, it was clear, at least to me, the conclusion was foregone–Annie’s second novel was best of show.” -Bob Shacochis Bob Shacochis won the National Book Award for Fiction in 1985 for Easy in the Islands. Eight years later he was a Fiction Finalist again, this time alongside E. Annie Proulx, whose second novel, The Shipping News, was also nominated. Proulx, who celebrates her 77th birthday today, won the Award that year. Read Shacochis’ complete appreciation of The Shipping News on our NBA Fiction Blog.

“I am not so much of an imbecile that I didn’t crave the audience the award would bring, even if it was perhaps true my novel did not quite measure up to the best in the competition, but after reading The Shipping News, it was clear, at least to me, the conclusion was foregone–Annie’s second novel was best of show.” -Bob Shacochis

Bob Shacochis won the National Book Award for Fiction in 1985 for Easy in the Islands. Eight years later he was a Fiction Finalist again, this time alongside E. Annie Proulx, whose second novel, The Shipping News, was also nominated. Proulx, who celebrates her 77th birthday today, won the Award that year. Read Shacochis’ complete appreciation of The Shipping News on our NBA Fiction Blog.