The National Book Critics Circle has revealed the finalists for the 2015 publishing year, and the nominations include the recent work of several notable Latino writers.
Ada Limón, a member of the American Academy of Poets, has been nominated for an award in poetry for her collection “Bright Dead Things.” After her stepmother lost a battle to cancer, Limón left her job in New York City to seclude herself in the mountains of Kentucky. Throughout the poems she takes the reader along her winding path to self acceptance.
RELATED: Latino Children's Book Authors Receive Unprecedented Recognition
Mexican-American journalist Sam Quinones is up for an award in non-fiction for his book “Dreamland: The True Story of America’s Opiate Epidemic.” His book explores today's heroin and opiate addiction epidemic stemming from irresponsible prescription drug dispensing throughout the 1990s. The book details how heroin becomes a "fallback" for people who lose access to prescription, synthetic opiates.
Mexico-born and South Africa bred, writer Valeria Luiselli is nominated for an award in fiction for “The Story of My Teeth.” The story follows the life of Gustavo "Highway" Sánchez Sánchez, who sold each of his own teeth at auction. The twist here is that he makes up stories for each tooth, lying about whose teeth he is really selling.
Kirstin Valdez Quade’s story collection “Night at the Fiestas” will receive the third annual John Leonard Prize, which recognizes an author’s first outstanding book in any genre. From pregnant teenagers to deadbeat dads, the collection of characters struggle to find themselves in the badlands of New Mexico, but somehow save each other.
Peruvian-native Carlos Lozada will receive the 2015 Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing for his work at The Washington Post.
The awards will be presented on March 17, 2016 at the New School in New York City.
