Last night was a very big night in the literary world. The PEN America Awards were announced in New York. Edna O’Brien was on hand to collect her PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature, PEN/Jean Stein Book Award Finalist, Ta-Nehisi Coates, was there, Jonathan Eig gave a poignant speech on the prescience of Muhammad Ali’s message. And John A. Farrell did a surprisingly good imitation of Richard Nixon.
For this queer reader, though, the highlight of the evening was Edmund White’s speech. Mr. White, it had been announced was the recipient of this year’s PEN/Saul Bellow Award for Achievement in American Fiction. In their citation, the judges stated: “His work emanates delight in sensuality, beauty, the intellect and all that constitutes bliss in the world.”
But those expecting a serious acceptance speech were undeniably surprised. Pleasantly surprised. For Mr. White was at his wittiest last night. His speech was droll, self-deprecating and, above all funny. Mr. White seemed somewhat surprised, but undeniably delighted by the laughter that frequently interrupted is speech.
An example:
An example:
My so-called first novel–well, actually my fifth–forgetting Elena was accepted after it had been rejected by twenty-two publishers The text was only marginally gay and it was published only because of the intervention of Richard Power–the poet and translator–who sent it back to a house that had already rejected it and he insisted they reconsider it. It was reviewed in the Sunday Times. Favorably, though strangely enough, as a mystery.
Clearly Mr. White has many more stories to tell. And now, at long last the literary world is giving him the respect he so richly deserves.
The 2018 PEN America Literary Awards were announced last night at NYU’s Skirball Auditorium.
Click here for all the winners.
2/21/2018