James English

The National Book Awards, an annual celebration of American literature, now entering its 57th year, were presented during a ceremony at New York’s Marriott Marquis Hotel on Nov. 15. Harold Augenbraum, the executive director of the National Book Foundation, which organizes the awards, talks with Book Business EXTRA! about the impact the awards have had on the book industry since they were first given in 1950. Book Business EXTRA!--How has the National Book Foundation maintained the prestige of its awards for more than half a century? Augenbraum--Prestige comes from a variety of sources. Part of the prestige comes from the integrity of the Awards. One reason