The 2023 Book and Media Award bulletins from the American Library Association’s LibLearnX conference in New Orleans had been broadcast on Sunday afternoon, so I’m behind in getting this information posted. It’s been a busy week with quite a lot of conferences, and there are extra to come back. I watched the ceremony through the Reference & User Services Association’s Facebook web page. Many adult-level historic novels acquired accolades.
On the Reading List, the ALA’s annual awards in eight style fiction classes, the award for Historical Fiction award went to By Her Own Design by Piper Huguley, a biographical novel about Black designer Ann Lowe, who designed Jackie Kennedy’s wedding ceremony robe, amongst different beautiful creations.
The Forty Elephants by Erin Bledsoe (Nineteen Twenties London, about an all-female felony gang)
The Good Wife of Bath: A (Mostly) True Story by Karen Brooks (Chaucer’s bawdy heroine reveals her story)
The Swift and the Harrier by Minette Walters (female-centered journey throughout the English Civil War)
On the Listen List for excellence in audiobook narration:
The Bangalore Detectives Club by Harini Nagendra, narrated by Soneela Nankani. (thriller of Nineteen Twenties Bangalore, India)
The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. (thriller a couple of real-life Ukrainian girl who grew to become a celebrated WWII sniper)
A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin, narrated by Eleanor Tomlinson (aka Demelza from the most up-to-date Poldark TV adaptation; it is a witty Regency romance)
Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, narrated by Lauren J. Daggett. (a horrible injustice perpetrated on Black ladies in ’70s Alabama, based mostly on a real story)
Trust by Hernan Diaz (4 alternating tales create a puzzle set in Twentieth-century NYC)
Congrats to all the winners!
