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Tonight, the 41st annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes were awarded in a livestreamed virtual ceremony. Hosted by Times Book Editor Boris Kachka, the literary awards recognized 56 remarkable works in 12 categories, championing new voices and celebrating the highest quality of writing.
“The pandemic has upended every single aspect of our lives, but I suspect many of you will agree with me that it’s only deepened our appreciation for the solitary pleasure of reading,” said Kachka in his introduction. “[Reading] is solitary but of course it’s communal, too, because in reading we communicate with socially-distanced writers and all their characters, real or invented. We may isolate, but as long as we have books we are never isolated.”
Good morning, and welcome to the L.A. Times Book Club newsletter.
“My interest in books probably explains why I not only survived high school but arrived at Occidental College in 1979 with a thin but passable knowledge of political issues and a series of half-baked opinions that I’d toss out during late-night bull sessions in the dorm.”
This humble and self-effacing personal assessment comes from
Barack Obama in an excerpt from “A Promised Land,” the 44th president’s bestselling memoir. The book charts his improbable journey to the White House, including a pivotal time at L.A.’s Occidental College that spurred his interest in politics and the civil rights movement.
Winners of the 2020 L A Times Book Prizes announced latimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from latimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Woodburn: A flood of books for beach (or tundra) reading Woody Woodburn, Columnist
As a Southern Californian through and through, I love sunshine on my face and a sea breeze in my lungs and sand between my toes, yet on Christmas Eve I will be an honorary Icelander celebrating Jolabokaflod.
Pronounced
yo-la-bok-a-flot, Jolabokaflod translates to “Yule Book Flood” and is the tradition where books are exchanged as gifts on Dec. 24. Everyone spends the rest of the night curled up by fireplaces, drinking hot chocolate and reading.
It’s no small wonder 93% of Icelanders annually read at least one book (only 70% of Americans do) and 50% read eight or more.
Dancing to âYellow Submarine,â Neanderthal Extinction and Other Letters to the Editor
The Beatles in 1967: “John fire, Paul water, George air, Ringo earth.”Credit.Jeff Hochberg/Getty Images
Dec. 18, 2020
To the Editor:
In Bill Maherâs review of Craig Brownâs â150 Glimpses of the Beatlesâ (Dec. 6), Maher asks rhetorically, âWho is this for?â
I would respond, âFor everyone,â because the Beatlesâ music is timeless. My parents enjoyed it in the 1960s. Iâve loved their music my entire life. And last year, for my childrenâs first concert, my wife and I took them to see Ringo Starr, where they happily danced and sang along to âYellow Submarine.â