Bob Dylan Skips National Book Critics Circle Awards

Acclaimed musician and author, Bob Dylan, has produced a memoir, "Chronicles, Vol. 1", that was a high contending nominee for the Biography/autobiography award at the National Book Critics Circle Award ceremony this past Friday. The National Book Critics Circle, founded in 1974, is a not-for-profit organization of about 600 book editors and critics. An NBCC award brings plenty of prestige, but has no cash value. To the amazement of the attendees Friday night, Dylan did not attend the prestigious award ceremony, citing concert plans that very night in Reno, Nevada on his web site.

"De Kooning: An American Master" by Mark Stevens and Annalyn Swan won over the crowd in Dylan's place, and in the criticism category Patrick Neate won for "Where You're At: Notes From the Frontline of a Hip-Hop Planet".