Los Angeles Times Book Prizes

Marilynne Robinson took the top fiction prize Friday for her novel "Home," and Barton Gellman the current interest award for his book on Dick Cheney's vice presidency at the 29th annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes. Robert Alter, a UC Berkeley professor and author of 22 works on the Bible, literary modernism and contemporary Hebrew literature, had earlier been named the recipient of the Robert Kirsch Award, given annually to a living author "with a substantial connection to the American West."

AMERICAN book festivals are often dominated by a theme or a high-profile author, but good luck finding the hook at this weekend's 12th annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at UCLA. Beyond a love for literature and good writing, it's hard to find the common thread in an event featuring authors such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Julie Andrews, Dr. Phil McGraw, James Ellroy, Lee Iacocca, Ray Bradbury, Frank McCourt, Amy Goodman, William Kittredge, Lawrence Wright, Jim Lehrer and Joseph Wambaugh.

A haunting novel about the Israeli victim of a suicide bombing, a provocative biography of Walt Disney and a probing analysis of the 9/11 attacks were among the winners of the 2006 Los Angeles Times Book Prizes, announced Friday evening at UCLA. The awards ceremony, hosted by author and PBS news anchor Jim Lehrer, honored books in nine categories. A final prize, the Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement, was given to author and memoirist William Kittredge.

Nominees for the 26th annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes were announced Thursday, and the newspaper's Robert Kirsch Award went to Joan Didion. Didion, whose memoir "The Year of Magical Thinking" received the National Book Award for nonfiction, won The Times honor for "a living author with a substantial connection to the American West" and whose "contributions to American letters deserves special recognition." Kirsch was the paper's book critic for 25 years.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez won the top fiction prize Friday for his novel, "Memoirs of My Melancholy Whores," and Hilary Spurling received the biography award for her second volume on the life of artist Henri Matisse at the 26th annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes, in a ceremony at UCLA. Presentation of the Robert Kirsch Award to Joan Didion for her anguished memoir, "The Year of Magical Thinking," was announced last month.

Robert Alter, a UC Berkeley professor and author of 22 works on the Bible, literary modernism and contemporary Hebrew literature, will be the 29th recipient of the Robert Kirsch Award when the Los Angeles Times Book Prizes are presented April 24. The Kirsch is a lifetime achievement honor named for a past L.A. Times book critic. The Times Book Prizes honor 45 nominees in nine categories. Here is a complete list: Biography H.W.