Chapter 581: Second Win
Lin Weimin glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already half past ten. A call at this time was either an emergency or an international long-distance call.
When the call was connected, it was indeed Roger Strauss.
On the phone, Roger Strauss excitedly told Lin Weimin a good news.
This morning, the winners of the National Book Critics Circle Awards were announced, and his work "The Hunt" was on the list, winning the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction.
The time difference between China and the United States is nearly twelve hours. As soon as the list of winners was announced, Roger Strauss couldn't wait to call Lin Weimin. His efforts were indispensable for "The Hunting" winning the award this time. In addition to announcing the good news, he also called to take credit for it.
The National Book Critics Award was founded by the American Book Critics Circle in 1974. Its members are all well-known writers and editors in the U.S. publishing industry. Every year, the association selects 24 members to form a judging committee to recommend and select good books of the year.
Unlike the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, which are only awarded to American writers, the National Book Critics Circle Award is the only one of the three major mainstream literary awards in the United States that has no requirements for the author's nationality. Its award scope covers all books translated into English and published in the United States. Its only shortcoming is probably that there is no prize money.
This is Lin Weimin's second award after winning in 1987 for "Burning", which is of great significance.
Since the founding of the National Book Critics Circle of the United States, Lin Weimin is the third writer to win the award twice.
The first two writers were EL Doctorow, who won in 1975 for Ragtime and in 1989 for Billy Bathgate; and John Updike, who won in 1981 for Rabbit Got Rich and in 1990 for Rabbit Got a Rest.
The two writers who won the award before Lin Weimin were both American writers, and their four works all swept the three major literary awards in the United States that year.
In other words, if Lin Weimin was an American writer, his two works would also likely be honored with the three major literary awards.
After expressing his gratitude to Roger Strauss on the phone, Lin Weimin couldn't help yawning.
"I'm sorry, Roger. But you have to know that it's already midnight in China. I've just been promoted recently, and I'm afraid I won't have time to go to the United States to receive the award."
Roger Strauss was filled with regret when he heard this. "Okay then. By the way, a reporter from your country's new H agency interviewed me, and I spoke well of you."
Facing Roger Strauss's invitation, Lin Weimin's reaction was calm. He said, "Even if you don't praise me, he will polish it for you, don't worry."
"By the way, Lin, have you ever thought about publishing your work in Italy? I happen to be working with an Italian publisher, and they are very interested in your work."
Lin Weimin, who had been yawning, finally came to his senses when he heard the word "publisher".
Someone delivered money to your door?
That cannot be avoided.
He immediately said enthusiastically: "Roger, thank you so much, you are really the best partner!"
Teacher Lin’s main focus is on truth.
The two hung up the phone after agreeing that the Italian publisher would contact him later.
Winning the National Book Critics Circle Award for the second time at this critical juncture has brought many benefits to Lin Weimin.
It didn't win any awards in China, but it won awards abroad, and it was the second time. The reasons given by the jury are a bit untenable.
Lin Weimin is a foreign writer in the United States, and Americans can give him an award for the second time, but this is not the case in China?
Then there is Lin Weimin's statement that he does not value awards, and many people cannot help but criticize him for seeking fame.
His second National Book Critics Circle Award also easily reminds some short-sighted people of the literary awards Lin Weimin has won in recent years.
It's just a Yanbing Literature Award, and Lin Weimin has won it before, so there's really no need to make a fuss about it.
Lin Weimin's sleepiness was almost disturbed by the phone call, so he wrote in the study for a while and fell asleep only when he felt tired.
The next day at work, as soon as Lin Weimin arrived at the unit, his colleagues congratulated him.
After asking, I found out that the news about him winning the National Book Critics Circle Award was reported very promptly. It was published in the People's Daily early in the morning.
In the past few years, due to the lack of information and Lin Weimin's own lack of publicity, several of his overseas awards were not reported back to China until a long time later.
In the past two years, Lin Weimin has won more and more awards, and his name has become the most valued name by major overseas agencies. Once there is any movement, they have to keep up immediately.
Before the National Book Critics Circle Awards announced the winners, the New H News Agency reporter had already learned from the Chinese community in the United States that Lin Weimin's work might be selected, and made preparations early, and even interviewed the publisher Roger Strauss.
The news that "Hunting" won the award was published in today's "People's Daily" and quickly spread throughout the domestic literary circles in a very short time.
Recently, Lin Weimin and the Yanbing Literature Award jury have been in a big dispute. Not only the literary community, but also the vast group of literature lovers across the country are paying attention to this matter.
At first, there were rumors that Lin Weimin was dissatisfied with not winning the award and put pressure on the jury.
A while ago, the list of award winners was announced, and Lin Weimin was indeed not on the list. Everyone thought that was about it.
Later, it was reported that Lin Weimin publicly criticized the jury, saying that he did not care about winning the award, but he just couldn't stand the jury and the behavior of some judges whoring and pretending to be virtuous.
The list of winners has been announced, and everyone has seen that Liu Feiyu and his work are among them. Not only was his work nominated as a judge, but the most outrageous thing is that he actually won the award.
There are things on both sides that are worthy of questioning. Lin Weimin's work did not win the award, so everyone has reason to suspect that he was seeking personal revenge and that is why he blasted the award results.
But the list of winners of the Yanbing Literature Award is obviously more controversial. Regardless of whether they have private motives or not, your award results are indeed problematic.
How can the judges' works be included in the competition and win awards?
Nowadays, when a unit is evaluating someone for advanced work, many conscious leaders will avoid suspicion.
You're a winner of a national literary award, and you don't understand this?
You are a veteran revolutionary and literary veteran with decades of experience, and yet you don’t understand this?
Over this period of time, the literary community and readers have never stopped arguing about the award results.
As a party involved in the incident, Lin Weimin was heavily criticized.
However, the jury and Liu Feiyu were not much better off, and the criticism they received was no less severe than that received by Lin Weimin.
Liu Feiyu, in particular, was blinded by greed or not, but he did something like this at the end of his literary career. He was scolded by many radical people and was called a "literary thief", which vividly illustrated what it means to lose one's integrity in old age.
The news that Lin Weimin had once again won the National Book Critics Circle Award spread more and more widely through the People's Daily, and within a few days everyone in the country knew about it.
On March 29, the third Yanbing Literature Award ceremony was held at the Yenching People’s Hall.
On the day of the award ceremony, as in previous years, many well-known figures in the domestic literary world gathered, but unlike in previous years, the atmosphere of this award ceremony was a little weird.
This year's Yanbing Literature Award selected five winning works and two honorary winners, among which "Urban Romance" was co-authored by a couple.
When it came time to present the awards, eight winners came on stage. Lu Yao was the first. His work "Ordinary World" ranked first in this year's awards.
Eight people came on stage one after another, but some people in the audience noticed that Liu Feiyu, who had been in the spotlight recently, did not accept the award in person. Instead, the person standing on the stage was his editor at the Guowen Press, who accepted the award on his behalf.
Some people below who were dissatisfied with the award results felt a lot better all of a sudden.
At least he still has some sense of shame and knows to let someone accept the award on his behalf.
More people had amused expressions. It now seemed that the conflict caused by the award had finally burned Liu Feiyu.
But people don't have much sympathy for this. Who asked you to put the handle in someone else's hands?
There was an opportunity to refuse. Wouldn't it be better to just reject the work directly, like fellow judge Malaqinfu did?
Greed blinds one's mind!
Among the people present, many were judges and organizers of various domestic literary awards. Liu Feiyu’s experience this time also made many people alert.
In the past few years, personal connections have become increasingly important in the judging process of various awards, but we must never be caught in this.
For the sake of an award, he ruined his reputation.
Many people in the literary world are wary of his status and qualifications, and few criticize him publicly.
But this time, those scholars, students and literature lovers scolded him so badly that he couldn't even raise his head.
This group of people then thought of Lin Weimin. You said you would give awards, so just give awards. If the quality of the work is good enough, then give an award!
It is true that he withdrew from the Writers Association, but his influence is still there!
If you provoke him, how can he not mess with you?
We are all in the literary world, and the ins and outs of this incident have become transparent after such a long time.
You said it’s okay not to give people awards, then why don’t you give them fewer awards?
You just said there were too many winning works, and then you selected only seven. One of them was a judge’s work, and the most important thing is that its quality is questionable.
Isn't this just making fun of others?
To put it bluntly, it is the official-centered thinking that is at work!
He thinks he is an official and an elite, and people will obey him just by saying anything he says.
Unfortunately, this time we ran into a tough guy. Lin Weimin is not afraid of any rumors at all and will confront you head-on.
Facts have proved that the people are not fools. You will not be able to fool the people with results that cannot withstand scrutiny.
The comrades of this session of the Literary Association are not very good!
The award ceremony ended in a lively atmosphere. Liu Feiyu did not come to receive the award, leaving everyone with something to talk about.
This time, the Yanbing Literature Award did not succumb to public opinion and still insisted on awarding the award to Liu Feiyu.
Seemingly unyielding, he maintained the dignity of the award.
In fact, it has seriously damaged the authority and credibility that the Yanbing Literature Award has established in the domestic literary circles and readership over the past ten years.
The harm is endless!
(End of this chapter)
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