Bolt from the Blue

Two authors are among the 25 recipients of the latest round of the MacArthur Foundation's "genius grants." Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author of Half of a Yellow Sun and Purple Hibiscus, and Alex Roth, who penned The Rest is Noise, a history of music in the twentieth century, will each receive $500,000 to further their work.

Since there is no application for the grants, the winners were all unaware that they were under consideration. Adichie told the New York Times, “I like to say that America is like my distant uncle who doesn’t remember my name but occasionally gives me pocket money. That phone call filled me with an enormous affection for my uncle!”

Details are here.--David E