![_There's A Hair In My Psychedelic Psoup: Ty Segall and White Fence at the Mohawk [Show Preview]](http://austinist.com/assets_c/2012/05/tysegallwhitefence-thumb-250x250-716638.jpeg)
The National Book Award is, simply said, one of the profoundest honors a writer can receive, and, usually, it goes to a book written by an author, who’s, you know, been around a little while. So it was quite the surprise when this year a more out-of-nowhere work of fiction claimed the prize: Salvage the Bones, by Jesmyn Ward. But the author’s lack of a decades-long track record doesn’t diminish the text, and in fact enhances it, as this emotionally powerful, lyrical tour de force studies a working class family—including pregnant teen protagonist and dogfighting brother—as it confronts Hurricane Katrina head-on. But Ward is no casual observer of this sort of struggle; for this new headliner in the literary world, this is just a slice of real life. With all this in mind, and in advance of her reading tonight at the Mayor’s Book Club at the John Henry Faulk Central Library, we called her up to talk about memory, writing in the wake of tragedy, and a newfound audience.
Remembering Katrina: An Interview with Jesmyn Ward, the National Book Award-Winning Author of Salvage the Bones
![City and State [Extra Extra]](http://austinist.com/assets_c/2009/01/nightskyline-thumb-105x105-53663.jpg)
City and State [Extra Extra]
Voices speak out about Ott's proposed budget cuts at last night's public meeting. Robbery spree last night in Central and East Austin; police suspect the same group of guys did it all. Man tried to stop his girlfriend from reporting his abusive treatment to the cops by kidnapping her from in front of a police substation (she escaped). Hilton employees open a strangely marked FedEx package addressed to "MTP" to find 6 lbs of pot; police arrest the man who signs for it. Sen. Cornyn is keeping money donated by Stanford. Some Texas GOP politicians (including Cornyn) support proposed bill that would require ISPs/WiFi-providers to keep user records for 2 years to assist police investigations. Mayor's Book Club pick for 2009: The Septembers of Shiraz.
Mayor's Book Club Ending For the Year
Tomorrow evening, the 2008 Mayor's Book Club will have a finale celebration at City Hall. Ishmael Beah, the author of this year's selection A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, will be in attendance for a Q&A session led by UT Dean of Undergraduate Studies Paul Woodruff.
send a tip
tips@austinist.comsubscribe
Use an RSS reader to stay up to date with the latest news and posts from Austinist.