I’ve always loved books, all my life. When I was a clerk at Scribner’s bookstore I dreamed of having a book of my own, of writing one that I could put on the shelf. When I would have to unpack and put up the National Book Award winners I used to wonder what it would feel like to be a National Book Award winner, so thank you for letting me find out. And please, publishers: there is nothing more beautiful than the book. The paper, the font, the cloth. Please, no matter how we advance technologically, please never abandon the book. There is nothing in our material world more beautiful than the book.