Get yourself a slice of cherry pie and a damn fine cup of coffee: Kyle MacLachlan will be the host of the 77th National Book Awards.
The actor will serve as the master of ceremonies for the event next month, the National Book Foundation announced in a news release, with Michelle Zauner of the band Japanese Breakfast on board as the musical guest.
MacLachlan, known for his iconic roles in television series including Twin Peaks and Desperate Housewives and films such as Dune and Blue Velvet, made his literary debut last month with the memoir Fictional Selves, which a critic for Kirkus called “an entertaining and enlightening look at the sausage-making side of the film biz.”
“As someone who has spent much of his career bringing other people’s stories to life, and recently had the surreal experience of writing my own, I have a newfound appreciation for the art of storytelling,” MacLachlan said. “Books take us places we’ve never been, introduce us to people we’ve never met, and occasionally keep us up past our bedtime. To host the 77th National Book Awards is a tremendous honor, and I’m looking forward to celebrating some of the finest storytellers working today.”
Indie rocker Zauner is the author of the bestselling memoir Crying in H Mart, which a Kirkus reviewer praised as “a tender, well-rendered, heart-wrenching account of the way food ties us to those who have passed.” Her second memoir, Thank You for Your Suffering, is scheduled for publication next April.
“My love for literature has shaped my understanding of the world and influenced my own work as a songwriter and an author,” Zauner said. “I’m delighted to be the musical guest at the 77th National Book Awards Ceremony, and to share the stage with some of the most exceptional storytellers of our time.”
The National Book Awards will be held on Nov. 18 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
