James Patterson to receive the Literarian National Book Award

James Patterson is a good literary citizen. That’s why he’ll be awarded the Literarian Prize at the National Book Awards, when the National Book Foundation presents its annual prizes.

In addition to writing bestselling novels by the dozen (and another dozen, and another dozen), in the past two years, Patterson has given $1 million to independent bookstores nationwide and an additional $1.75 million to school libraries.

“James Patterson’s dedication to the expansion of reading is closer to a crusade than an avocation,� National Book Foundation executive director Harold Augenbraum said in a statement. “Its fervor seems to increase with each passing year.�

Known for his Alex Cross novels and other thrillers, Patterson has increasingly focused his attentions on getting kids excited about reading. He has donated hundreds of thousands of his children’s books to disadvantaged communities and created the website ReadKiddoRead.

In 2014, Patterson told the Los Angeles Times, “As individuals, we can’t do a lot of things. We can’t fix up the national health program, but we can do things about getting kids reading.�

Previous recipients of the Literarian Award include Dave Eggers, Maya Angelou, Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Terry Gross. The 2015 award will be presented Nov. 18 at the National Book Awards gala in New York.

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