Author Robert A. Caro will receive the 2016 Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters from the National Book Foundation at the National Book Awards.
Caro is best known for his biographies The Power Broker and The Years of Lyndon Johnson, among other works. He will be the 29th recipient of the award which recognizes a lifetime of literary achievement.
“Robert Caro has long been one of our most treasured biographers,” stated David Steinberger, chairman of the board of directors of the National Book Foundation. “His ability to understand power, privilege, and the unique ways in which that power has shaped American government and American cities throughout the 20th century is a road map that will endure because of its depth, breadth, and import, and we are honored to have the privilege to present him with this medal.”
Previous winners of the award include: John Ashbery, Judy Blume, Don DeLillo, Joan Didion, E.L. Doctorow, and Ursula K. Le Guin.