Joan Didion to Receive Honorary National Book Award

Posted on September 10, 2007

The National Book Foundation has announced the recipients of its Lifetime Achievement Awards. Joan Didion, author of The Year of Magical Thinking will receive the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. Terry Gross of NPR will receive the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community.

National Book Foundation executive director Harold Augenbraum said in the announcement, "Both women are fearless in their questioning and their insights on the page and on the air have informed our understanding of America and of America's writers for decades."

Augenbraum also referred to the writers as "icons in the literary world."

The National Book Awards ceremony will be held on November 14, 2007 in New York City. You can learn more about the awards at nationalbook.org.