Close Encounters of a Literary Kind
Bring hundreds of writers and book people together to celebrate the recipients of the country’s most prestigious literary award and there are bound to be some intriguing pairings of old friends, new acquaintances, and mutual admirers.
From Top to Bottom:
Elliot Ackerman (left), former U.S. Marine and author of the forthcoming Green on Blue, with National Book Award Winner Phil Klay.
Emily St. John Mandel, author of National Book Award Finalist Station Eleven, meets– for the first time– Ursula K. Le Guin, 2014 Medalist for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.
(Left photograph) Deborah Wiles (left), author of National Book Award Finalist Revolution with National Book Award Winner Jacqueline Woodson at the National Book Awards Teen Press Conference.
(Right photograph): Fellow New Yorker contributors and National Book Award Finalists Roz Chast and John Lahr.
Science writer Jonathan Weiner (left), winner of the Pulitzer Prize for The Beak of the Finch, converses with Edward O. Wilson, author of the National Book Award Finalist The Meaning of Life.
(Left photograph): National Book Award Winner Louise Glück with fellow poet, Farrar, Straus & Giroux publisher and president Jonathan Galassi. (Photo credit: Robin Platzer/Twin Images)
(Right photograph): Claudia Rankine (left), author of the National Book Award Finalist poetry collection, Citizen: An American Lyric and Fanny Howe, author of the National Book Award Finalist poetry collection, Second Childhood. Both poets are published by Graywolf Press.
John Corey Whaley (left), a NBF 5 Under 35 Honoree and author of the National Book Award Finalist Noggin and Daniel Handler, who hosted the ceremony.
At the celebration of the 2014 5 Under 35 Honorees, 1999 National Book Award Finalist Andre Dubus III meets the celebration host Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, band leader of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and author of Mo'Meta Blues.
Seated at the National Book Award Ceremony Dinner (from left), Theodore Downes-Le Guin, DCAL Medalist Ursula K. Le Guin, and Neil Gaiman, who presented the DCAL Medal to Le Guin.
All photographs are the work of Beowulf Sheehan, with the noted exception of the photograph of Louise Glück and Jonathan Galassi.