Yaddo Writer Wins National Book Award

Two Other Yaddo Novelists Nominated

Jonathan Franzen

Saratoga Springs, NY (November 15, 2001) — Yaddo writer Jonathan Franzen has won the prestigious 2001 National Book Award for fiction for his novel The Corrections, the story of a troubled American family gathering for one last Christmas.

The award, which includes a $10,000 prize, was presented Wednesday at the 52nd annual National Book Awards ceremony in Manhattan.

Nominees for the National Book Award in the fiction category included two other novels by Yaddo writers: Look at Me, Jennifer Egan's second novel, and The Last Report On the Miracles at Little No Horse, Louise Erdrich's story of a missionary priest who ministers to an American Indian tribe.

The Corrections has received wide praise from critics and has remained on bestseller lists since its release in September. Reviewers have raved about the novel, calling it a "masterpiece" and "one of the most impressive American novels of recent years." Mr. Franzen, who has been a guest artist at Yaddo twice, is often referred to as "a writer's writer."

Mr. Franzen's other published novels are The Twenty-Seventh City and Strong Motion.

Collectively, Yaddo writers have won 55 National Book Awards.