HONORS

HONORS
hCaro and Glass are among those to receiveNational Book Awards
NEW YORK (AP) -- National Book Awards judges honored both established and emerging authors Wednesday, citing Robert A. Caro for "Master of the Senate," the third volume of his Lyndon Johnson biography, as winner of the nonfiction prize, and Julia Glass for her debut novel, "Three Junes," a three-part family series, for fiction.
Other prizes went to Nancy Farmer, who won in the young people's literature category for "The House of the Scorpion," and to poet Ruth Stone, who turned 87 this year, for her collection, "In the Next Galaxy."
"I think you probably gave it to me because I'm old," Stone said with a laugh.
Glass, a mother of two, was in tears as she confided to the audience that she hadn't felt this emotional since "my newborn baby sons were put in my arms -- only a whole lot of people weren't watching."
Caro, 67, has been working on his Johnson series since the mid-1970s and has yet to reach the presidential years, the heart of a planned fourth and final volume. Caro's first Johnson book, "The Path to Power," was a National Book Award finalist in 1983.
Philip Roth, a two-time winner for "Goodbye, Columbus" and "Sabbath's Theater," received an honorary medal for lifetime achievement. He was introduced by comedian and best-selling author Steve Martin, who served as host for the evening.
Winners received $10,000 and finalists $1,000. The awards are sponsored by the National Book Foundation, a nonprofit organization that runs educational outreach programs.
BOOK SIGNING
Margaret Williamsat Barnes & amp; Noble
BOARDMAN-- Margaret I. Williams will sign copies of her book, & quot;A Conspiracy to Ponder," from 7-9 p.m. Tuesday at Barnes & amp; Noble Booksellers, Boardman-Canfield Road. The work is a mystery centered around the black community. Ms. Williams is a former Youngstown native and 1974 graduate of The Rayen School. She now lives in Chicago.
Tom Gilmartin Sr. at Pig Iron Press
YOUNGSTOWN -- Local poet Tom Gilmartin Sr. will be at Pig Iron Press, 26 Phelps St., from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday to sign copies of his new book of verses, "Back to Basics II." Gilmartin is co-host of weekly radio reading programs for the blind and shut-ins. Other books to his credit are "A Journal of Free Verse" (1993) and "Back to Basics" (1999).
NEW BOOKS
Pig Iron Press releases19th work in series
"American Dream: The Pig Iron Series, Number 19" edited by James Villani (Pig Iron Press, 144 pps, $24.95, hardcover.)
YOUNGSTOWN -- "American Dream: The Pig Iron Series, Number 19" (October 2002) is the latest in the series of freelance authored publications by Pig Iron Press. The series was established in 1975.
"American Dream" is a compilation of works by 92 freelance presenters -- 74 writers and 18 artists -- which offer varying interpretations of the topic of "The American Dream." Jim Villani of Youngstown served as editor and also wrote the book's introduction. Beth Bateman Newborg of Pittsburgh and Sam Vargo of Salem were co-editors. Publication assistance was provided by the Ohio Arts Council.
"Dream" is available at select regional stores, through jobbers, at the PI office (26 Phelps St., Youngstown) or by mail. For more information call 330-747-6932 or e-mail pigironpress@cboss.com.
Work on new works should amuse, delight
"Predicting New Words: The Secrets of Their Success" by Allan A. Metcalf" (Houghton Mifflin, 208 pps., $22)
BALTIMORE -- Allan A. Metcalf, an English professor at MacMurray College in Illinois and author of several books on writing and language, is a delightfully amusing enthusiast for the richness of words and their use. Here he traces the never-ceasing expansion of English through the acceptance of brand-new -- or hitherto obscure -- words and phrases. "Muggle," "Y2K," "dot-com," "senior moment," "drive-by" are recent examples. Metcalf has invented, and here extends, a formula test for the likelihood of a neologism becoming used widely. He calls it the Fudge test, giving points for Frequency, Unobtrusiveness, Diversity of users, Generation of forms and meanings, and Endurance. Score your own. A volume that's lots of fun to dip in, and could be contrived into a rainy-day game or two.
Combined dispatches