The National Book Awards have recognized Justin Torres and Ned Blackhawk as winners

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The National Book Award for fiction went to Justin Torres' bold and illustrated novel "Blackouts," which tells the story of a suppressed study of gay sexuality through a combination of history and fantasy.

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Wednesday night, Dan Santat's "A First Time for Everything" won the young people's literature category, while Ned Blackhawk's "The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History" took home the nonfiction prize.

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Stênio Gardel's "The Words That Remain," translated from Portuguese by Bruna Dantas Lobato, won for literature in translation, and Craig Santos Perez's "from incorporated territory (åmot)," the fifth piece in his series on his native Guam, was named for finest poetry.

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After Aaliyah Bilalread the message to the writers, there was a standing ovation, indicating that the authors' opinions were well-liked.

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A statement was collectively presented by over a dozen nominees regarding the Israel-Hamas war, read by fiction nominee Aaliyah Bilal. 

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The statement condemned the ongoing Gaza bombardment, anti-Semitism, anti-Palestinian sentiments, and Islamophobia, while advocating for a humanitarian cease-fire.

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Honorary medals were given to poet Rita Dove and Paul Yamazaki, a lifelong bookseller at San Francisco's renowned City Lights store, during the dinner ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street, which featured an emotional keynote address by Oprah Winfrey.

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Winners in the five competitive categories each received $10,000.

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LeVar Burton, who hosted the event, and Winfrey, who represents the right to read, serve as the embodiments of words and the National Books Awards.

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