Ngugi Among National Books Critics Awards Finalists

Kenya's prolific writer Ngugi wa Thiong'o was among 30 finalists announced on Monday for the 2012 National Book Critics Circle’s (NBCC) Awards.

The UC Irvine professor was nominated for his recent autobiography 'In the House of the Interpreter' published by  Pantheon. The book is a follow-up to his first memoir, 'Dreams in a Time of War' introducing the reader to the creation of modern Africa from the collision of a series of powerful opposing forces; nationalism and colonialism, rural tradition and capitalist modernity.

He will now face four other writers including Reyna Grande, Maureen N. McLane, Anthony Shadid,  and Leanne Shapton in the Autobiography category.

The NBCC awards has six categories fiction, non-fiction, biography, autobiography, poetry and criticism.Winners will be announced in a ceremony set for February 28th 2013 in New York City.

Books published in the United States in 2012 are eligible for the awards, including translations. The 24-member board of the NBCC, comprising of some 500 working critics, select, evaluate and nominate the finalists for the six prizes in respective categories.