POLISCOPE
Back to feed
NewsWPLG Local 10 – Main FeedSeptember 10, 2026Miami-Dade County

National Book Foundation awards Salman Rushdie the National Book Award medal for lifetime achievement

Photo: WPLG Local 10 – Main Feed

Salman Rushdie will receive the National Book Award medal for lifetime achievement, the 39th recipient of the honor for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. The award will be presented by Kiran Desai at the National Book Awards ceremony in Manhattan on November 18. Perri Klass will also be honored at the ceremony as the recipient of the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community.

LiteratureAwardsNational Book AwardsAuthorCulture
Read the full story at WPLG Local 10 – Main Feed

Why It Matters

Salman Rushdie becomes the 39th recipient of the National Book Award medal for lifetime achievement and the fourth winner born outside of the U.S.

Key Facts

  • Salman Rushdie will receive a National Book Award medal for lifetime achievement, specifically the award for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.
  • Rushdie is the 39th winner of the award and only the fourth born outside of the U.S.
  • Kiran Desai will present the medal to Rushdie on Nov. 18 at the National Book Awards ceremony in Manhattan.
  • Perri Klass is named this year's recipient of the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community.
  • Dolly Parton previously turned down the Literarian Award multiple times before her passing last month at age 80.
  • Rushdie has published more than 20 books, including 'Midnight's Children', 'The Satanic Verses', 'Knife', and 'The Eleventh Hour'.

Who's Mentioned

PersonSaul Bellow“Previous foreign-born winner of the award”PersonMaya Angelou“Previous winner of the Literarian Award”PersonDolly Parton“Declined the Literarian Award multiple times”PersonMartin Amis“Late friend of Salman Rushdie”OrganizationNational Book Foundation“Nonprofit presenting the National Book Awards”PersonAlex Gibney“Documentary filmmaker”PersonYiyun Li“Immigrant writer”PersonTerry Gross“Previous winner of the Literarian Award”PersonPerri Klass“Recipient of the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Litera”PersonKiran Desai“Friend and fellow author who will present Rushdie his medal”PersonHadi Matar“Assailant convicted of attempted murder and transnational terrorism”PersonRachel Eliza Griffiths“Wife and fellow author of Salman Rushdie”PersonArt Spiegelman“Previous foreign-born winner of the award”OrganizationHezbollah“Shiite militant group in Lebanon”PersonIsabel Allende“Previous foreign-born winner of the award”PersonRuth Dickey“Executive director of the National Book Foundation”PersonAyatollah Ruhollah Khomeini“Issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie's death in 1988”PersonRoxane Gay“Previous winner of the Literarian Award”PersonJhumpa Lahiri“Immigrant writer”PersonSalman Rushdie“Recipient of the National Book Award medal for lifetime achievement”OrganizationThe Associated Press“News agency reporting the story”