Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

Waldrop

Providence poet Keith Waldrop's "Transcendental Studies: A Trilogy" has won the National Book Award for poetry.

Judges praised Waldrop's work for demonstrating "language's capacity to go to extremes."

Waldrop, who lives on the East Side, has taught at Brown for 41 years, where he is the Brooke Russell Astor Professor of Humanities.

In a news release Thursday morning, Brown quoted this from the judges' comments:

"If transcendental immanence were possible, it would be because Keith Waldrop had invented it; he's the only one who could -- and in Transcendental Studies he has," the judges noted. "These three linked series achieve a fusion arcing from the Romantic to the Postmodern that demonstrates language's capacity to go to extremes -- and to haul daily lived experience right along with it: life imitates language, and when language becomes these poems, life itself gets more various, more volatile, more vital."

Waldrop, 76, has written about 20 books of poetry. He's also an actor, director and publisher.

Critics and admirers have called him a poet's poet, graphic designer, publisher and "hoodoo god."

Publishers Weekly has said, "Waldrop has long been a major force in American avant-garde poetics."

Waldrop's latest book was one of five finalists for the poetry award. His first book, "Windmill Near Calvary," was nominated for the same award -- 40 years ago.

"Keith was nominated for a National Book Award for his first book almost 40 years ago, so this has been a long time coming," said Brian Evenson, professor of literary arts and director of Brown's Literary Arts Program. "Transcendental Studies is an exceptionally strong volume of poetry and an excellent choice by the National Book Awards committee. We're delighted that he won."

Here's a list of other National Book Awards winners: Colum McCann's "Let the Great World Spin" has captured the fiction prize; T.J. Stiles' biography of Cornelius Vanderbilt, "The First Tycoon," was the nonfiction winner; Phillip Hoose's "Claudette Colvin" won for young people's literature.

Winners each received a $10,000 prize.

Honorary medals also were presented to Gore Vidal and Dave Eggers at Wednesday's ceremony.

Extra: Read a full story on Waldrop.

An earlier version of this report was published at 9:39 a.m.

-- With Associated Press and Journal archival reports

 Tags  Keith Waldrop National Book Award

Comments

Betsy Shea-Taylor said:

This is just fantastic news! Congratulations to a neighboring East Sider!

Link | November 19, 2009 10:36 AM
Report Abuse

---

CJ said:

Congratulations Mr. Waldrop!

Link | November 19, 2009 10:41 AM
Report Abuse

---

Dotty said:

The guy needs a shave and a haircut

Link | November 19, 2009 11:04 AM
Report Abuse

---

CJ said:

Oh Dotty, just give us a break! I suppose you're one of those who thinks that if someone looks different they are a loser. How about congratulations? He can do whatever he wants with his hair and face, it's his. Jeez! What a stupid comment.

Link | November 19, 2009 12:53 PM
Report Abuse

---

marquez said:

Congratulation Uncle Jesse....LOL

Link | November 19, 2009 1:01 PM
Report Abuse

---

Bob said:

"If a tree falls in the forest and...."
Does anybody actually read poetry?
I know a lot of people and not one person reads it.
I think it's the silliest writing genre there is.

Link | November 19, 2009 5:12 PM
Report Abuse

---

Leave a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email:

URL:  

Remember personal info?

Captcha:

Type the characters you see in the picture above.