The National Book Award is one of the highest honors an American writer can receive; second only perhaps to the Pulitzer Prize. This week, Boise-based author Anthony Doerr will find out if he can add National Book Award winner to his resume. Doerr’s novel “All The Light We Cannot See” is one of five finalists in fiction.
Doerr says he’ll look pretty good in his rented tux and oddly-shiny shoes at Wednesday’s awards ceremony in New York. But his wife, he says will look amazing. We asked Doerr what’s on his mind as the day approaches.
What the award means to him
“You get the gold seal on your book and you’re kind of automatically entered into the canon,” Doerr says. “When I was in my early 20s and trying to figure out how to be a writer, I would go to the National Book Award winners and read down the list.”
A practical implication of winning
Winning the National Book Award brings a $10,000 prize. Winning books also tend to take a jump in sales.
“That stuff is important but it doesn’t help you create your next book or anything,” Doerr says. “But it guarantees your work will probably have more readers.”
Doerr says just being a finalist has meant more people have read “All The Light We Cannot See” than would have otherwise.
Another practical implication of winning
“I do think it guarantees your artistic freedom in some ways,” Doerr says. “In that, no matter what you want to try for your next two or three books, there’s no way a publisher would refuse it just because you have that National Book Award winner patina about you.”
How much is he thinking about the award?
He says probably more than he should.
“It’s just mentally healthier if I’m focused on new work, and since you can’t control whether you win or lose, it’s not something healthy to think about,” he says. “It’s not like it’s a sporting contest where you get to go out and hit the field. You know your work’s already been done a long time ago.”
How will he feel if he loses?
He says he doesn’t know.
“You know, I don’t think I’ll be disappointed at all. I’ve read the other books and I think they’re phenomenal,” he says. “But you know, you never know. You can’t control the way you feel. And I’m sure there’s a part of me that understands I may never get there again.”
You can listen to Anthony Doerr talk about his novel "All The Light We Cannot See" here.
Find Adam Cotterell on Twitter @cotterelladam
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