1. The Young Lions gave out their annual Fiction Award last night. The big winner - Karen Russell, for her novel Swamplandia!. Karen wasn’t able to be there in person to accept her award (she’s on a fellowship in Berlin), but her brother accepted it on her behalf with a hilarious speech. Pictured above (l-r):Sloane Crosley, Ben Lerner, Teju Cole, NYPL President Anthony Marx, Benjamin Hale, Billy Crudup. Sloane and Billy were gracious readers, giving us a taste of each nominated novel by reading the opening paragraphs aloud. Teju, Ben, and Benjamin were the other Fiction Award nominees, along with Jesmyn Ward, who also couldn’t make the event. Congrats to Karen! Photo by Jonathan Blanc

    The Young Lions gave out their annual Fiction Award last night. The big winner - Karen Russell, for her novel Swamplandia!. Karen wasn’t able to be there in person to accept her award (she’s on a fellowship in Berlin), but her brother accepted it on her behalf with a hilarious speech.

    Pictured above (l-r):Sloane Crosley, Ben Lerner, Teju Cole, NYPL President Anthony Marx, Benjamin Hale, Billy Crudup.

    Sloane and Billy were gracious readers, giving us a taste of each nominated novel by reading the opening paragraphs aloud. Teju, Ben, and Benjamin were the other Fiction Award nominees, along with Jesmyn Ward, who also couldn’t make the event.

    Congrats to Karen!

    Photo by Jonathan Blanc

  2. The New York Public Library has announced the finalists for the twelfth-annual Young Lions Fiction Award. The award honors the works of young authors carving deep impressions in the literary world. The winning writer will be awarded a $10,000 prize at a ceremony on May 14.

    The finalists for 2012 Young Lions Fiction Award are:

    • Open City by Teju Cole (Random House)
    • The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore by Benjamin Hale (Twelve/Hachette Book Group)
    • Leaving the Atocha Station by Ben Lerner (Coffee House Press)
    • Swamplandia! By Karen Russell (Alfred A. Knopf)
    • Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward (Bloomsbury)

    Congrats to our finalists!