The Cleveland-based Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards are literary awards dedicated to honoring written works that contribute to the understanding of racism as well as celebrating the diversity of human culture.
It’s tradition here on The Sound of Ideas to talk with the winning authors about their lives, their work, and what the award means to them. This morning we bring you conversations with the winners of this year’s Anisfield Wolf Book Awards ahead of a re-worked awards ceremony.
Out of an abundance of caution, and respect for the health of the winner’s, this year’s in-person ceremony has been cancelled. In it’s a place, an hour long special produced by WVIZ PBS ideastream. The special, which spotlights this year’s winners will air on WVIZ on October 1 st, at 8pm, and will be hosted by Anisfield Wolf Jury Chair, Henry Louis Gates Junior.
- Ilya Kaminsky, author of "Deaf Republic", poetry
- Namwali Serpell, author of "The Old Drift", fiction
- Charles King, author of "Gods of the Upper Air", non-fiction
- Eric Foner, lifetime achievement winner