Maya Angelou accepted a lifetime achievement award from the Norman Mailer Center on Thursday night.

The legendary poet was honored at a benefit dinner organized by the Mailer Center and writers colony.

Angelou was introduced by her former Random House editor, Robert Coomis, who encouraged her to write her best-selling book, "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings."

She reminisced on her transition from segregated Arkansas to literary stardom.

"Imagine it," she said. "a town so prejudiced black people couldn't even eat vanilla ice cream."

Pulitzer Prize Winner Junot Diaz and Journalist Michael Hastings also recieved awards from the Mailer Center.

Malala Yousafzai , the Pakistani school girl who was shot by the Taliban, will publish her life story later this year.

The novel, "I am Malala," will detail the 15 year old's life as an advocate for women's education.

"I want to tell my story, but it will also be the story of 61m children who can't get an education," Yousafzai said. " I want it to be part of the campaign to give every boy and girl the right to go to school. It is their basic right."

The book will be published by Commonwealth, Little,Brown, and Weidenfield & Nicholson.

Ann Tahsin, the deputy publishing director for Weidenfield & Nicholson, said :

"This book will be a document to bravery, courage, and vision. Malala is so young to have experienced so much and I have no doubt that her story will be an inspiration to readers from all generations who believe in the right to education and the freedom to pursue it."

Source: Guardian

Ray Bradbury, author of 'Fahrenheit 451', died on Tuesday.

The author revolutionized science fiction with his work on 'The Twilight Zone', 'Moby Dick', and ,'Fahrenheit 451'.

His daughter, Alexandra Bradbury, announced that her father died in Los Angeles, but did not speak on any other details concerning his death.

Bradbury's grandson, Danny Karapetian, released a statement on the Sci Fi site, i09.

"If I were to release a statement, it would be how much I love and miss him, and I look forward to hearing everyone's memories about him," he said. "He influenced so many artists, writers, teachers, and scientists, and it's always really touching and comforting to hear his stories."

He was 91.

(Source)

Carlos Fuentes, the Mexican author who paved the way for Latin American literature, died on Tuesday.

According to Mexican media, Fuentes died at the Angeles Pedregal hospital in Mexico City.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon left a message on Twitter saying, "I deeply lament the death of our beloved and admired Carlos Fuentes, a universal Mexican writer."

He was 83.

Maurice Sendak, author of 'Where the Wild Things Are', died on Tuesday in Danbury, Connecticut after suffering from a stroke.

Sendak is most known for his famed children's book, 'Where the Wild Things Are'.

The book features a young boy's adventures in a forest of monsters.

Sendak, a Jew, grew up during World War II and used storytelling to reach the hearts of millions.

"Because if life is so critical, if Anne Frank could die, if my friend could die, children were as vulnerable as adults , and that gave me a secret purpose to my work, to make them live. Because I wanted to live. I wanted to grow up," he said.

In recent years, Sendak spoke about death and longed to be with his deceased siblings.

"I feel very much like I want to be with my brother and sister again. They're nowhere. I know they're nowhere and they don't exist, but if nowhere means that's where they are, that's where I want to be," he said.

He was 83.

(Source)