The National Book Critics Circle has announced that Jennifer Egan’s novel, A Visit From the Goon Squad, has been awarded their 2010 prize for fiction. Egan accepted the award at a ceremony at the New School on March 10th.
Also nominated in the fiction category were Freedom, by Jonathan Franzen; To the End of the Land, by David Grossman; Comedy in a Minor Key, by Hans Keilson; and Skippy Dies, by Paul Murray.
The Killing of Crazy Horse, by Thomas Powers, was also nominated in the biography category.
Click here to read an excerpt from A Visit From Goon Squad, and click here to download the reading group guide.
What a shame that the paperback cover of A Visit From the Goon Squad is so unattractive. I particularly hate the NYT Best Book black edge. This book deserved better.
Hi Meg — thanks for your feedback on the cover! We love the dynamic, colorful new treatment of the paperback and thought it conveyed the multiple points of view that appear in Jennifer Egan’s story. And although it’s hard to tell on the flattened image above, the cover actually is a stepback — the New York Times Best Book mention is on a second sheet, below the cover. We had so many great quotes for the book that we wanted to feature them in a unique way.
Thanks for reading, though — sounds like you’re a fan!
Meghan, I love the cover and think it really does capture the heart of the book. Dynamic, puzzling, engaging. And nice use of spot varnish for the title. Much better shelf appeal than the light-blue hardcover.
Keep being creative!