Critic's Choice

Recently the National Book Critics Circle announced their 31 nominees for the 2010 year in review. The Circle awards the best English-language literature published within six major categories: autobiography, biography, criticism, fiction, nonfiction and poetry. This is the only awards presentation for which the selection committee is entirely composed of established literary critics. Since 1975 it's been associated with some of the top writing in America. Among this year's nominees are Jonathan Franzen's novel Freedom (FIC FRANZEN), The Secret Lives of Somerset Maugham: A Biography by Selina Hastings (B MAUGHAM) and musician Patti Smith's personalized memoir Just Kids about her early period in New York City (782.42166092 SMITH). The winners for each category will be announced at a ceremony in New York City on March 10.