NEW YORK (AP) — A picture story co-written by Olympic gold medalist Tommie Smith and a novel by Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk were among the long-listed nominees Wednesday for the National Book Awards.
The National Book Foundation, which awards the prizes, released lists of 10 in the children’s literature and translated literature categories. Later in the week, the foundation will announce long lists for poetry, nonfiction, and fiction.
Tokarczuk’s ‘Books of Jacob’, translated from Polish by Jenny Croft, was cited for literature in translation, which also included former National Book Award winner Yoko Tawada, whose ‘Scattered All Over the Earth’ was translated from Japanese by Marguerite Mitsutani. Also among the nominees were “The Little Death of Ibn Arabi” by Mohammed Hasan Alwan, translated from Arabic by William M. Hutchins; “Seasons of Purgatory” by Shahriar Mandanipour, translated from Persian by Sara Khalili; “Jawbone” by Mónica Ojeda, translated from Spanish by Sarah Booker, and “The Employees” by Olga Ravn, translated from Danish by Martin Aitken.
In children’s literature, “Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice,” a collaboration between Smith, Derrick Barnes and Dawud Anyabwile, was among the nominees. The book recalls Smith’s gold medal in the men’s 200 meters at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City and his raised fist in what he called a “human rights” salute during the inauguration ceremony. presentation of medals. He and teammate John Carlos, who also raised his fist, were banned from the games, although they were allowed to keep their medals.
Sabaa Tahir, best known for her fantasy series “An Ember in the Ashes,” was on the “All My Rage” long list, along with “Swim Team,” by best-selling graphic novelist Johnnie Christmas; “A Thousand Steps into Night” by Traci Chee: “Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix” by Anna-Marie McLemore; “The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School” by Sonora Reyes and “The Ogress and the Orphans” by Kelly Barnhill.
The long lists in five competitive categories will be narrowed down to five finalists on October 4, with the winners announced on November 16.
