Nathaniel Mackey wins National Book Award
By Kwan Booth (November 22, 2006-Oakland Post)
Staff Writer
In a turn of poetic justice, African American poet Nathaniel Mackey has been awarded the 2006 National Book Award for his latest poetry collection, “Splay Anthem.” With the distinction, Mackey joins a short list of black writers including poets Ai and Lucille Clifton and novelists Charles Johnson and Alice Walker.
Splay Anthem was selected from 13,000 works submitted by publishers from around the country. Mackey, known as a poet, critic, fiction writer and professor, has written 14 books during his 27 year career, while teaching literature at UC Santa Cruz and serving as editor for the influential multicultural journal “Hambone.” (more…)
