Distinguished Contribution to American Letters
The National Book Foundation's
Medal for
Distinguished Contribution to American Letters
The National
Book Foundation was established in 1988 to enhance the
visibility of The National Book Awards, begun in 1950
-- and to move beyond the Awards into the fields of education
and literacy, presenting literary programs across the
country, Award-winners and Finalists talking about their
"writing life." To date, thanks to the sustained
support of the publishing industry and the public and
private sectors, the Foundation has sponsored more than
one hundred authors in thirty-eight states, in schools,
libraries, community centers, museums, settlement houses,
and Native American reservations.
Every fall, in conjunction with the conferring of The National Book Awards in Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People's Literature, the Board of Directors of the Foundation also presents a Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, which comes with $10,000. The recipient is a person who has enriched our literary heritage over a life of service, or a corpus of work.
2012
2011
JOHN ASHBERY
> Watch Speech
2010
TOM WOLFE
> Watch Speech
2009
GORE VIDAL
> Watch Speech
2008
MAXINE
HONG KINGSTON
> Watch Speech
2007
JOAN
DIDION
> Watch Speech
2006
ADRIENNE
RICH
> Read Speech & Introduction by Mark Doty
2005
NORMAN
MAILER
> Read Speech
> Introduction
by Toni Morrison
2004
JUDY
BLUME
> Read Speech
> Introduction
by
Deborah E. Wiley,
NBF Board Chair
2003
STEPHEN
KING
> Read Speech
> Introduction
by
Walter Mosley
2002
PHILIP ROTH (speech not available)
> Introduction
by
Steve Martin
2001
ARTHUR
MILLER
> Read Speech
> Introduction
by
Steve Martin
2000
RAY
BRADBURY
> Read Speech
> Introduction
by
Steve Martin
1999
OPRAH
WINFREY
> Read Speech
> Introduction
by
Neil Baldwin
1998
JOHN
UPDIKE
> Read Speech
> Introduction
by
Paul LeClerc
1997
STUDS TERKEL
> Read Speech
> Introduction
by
Don Logan
1996
TONI MORRISON
> Read Speech
1995
DAVID McCULLOUGH
> Read Speech
1994
GWENDOLYN BROOKS
(speech
not available)
1993
CLIFTON FADIMAN
> Read Speech
> Introduction
by Al Silverman
1992
JAMES LAUGHLIN
> Read Speech
1991
EUDORA WELTY
> Read Speech
1990
SAUL BELLOW
1989
DANIEL BOORSTIN
1988
JASON EPSTEIN
Photo Credits: Arthur Miller, Inge Morath; David McCullough, Robin Platzer/Twin Images; Ray Bradbury, Robin Platzer/Twin Images; John Updike, Martha Updike; Studs Terkel, Robin Platzer; Toni Morrison, Robin Platzer; Clifton Fadiman, Robin Platzer; Eudora Welty, Robin Platzer; Philip Roth, Nancy Crampton; Oprah Winfrey, Robin Platzer; Adrienne Rich, Lilian Kemp. Joan Didion, Brigitte Lacombe. Maxine Hong Kingston, Gail K. Evenari. Gore Vidal, Stathis Orphanos. Tom Wolfe, Nancy Crampton. John Ashbery, Lynn Davis.