Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA by Tim Weiner (Doubleday) has been awarded the 2007 National Book Award for Non-fiction. Based on more than 50,000 documents and hundreds of interviews, and hailed by The Wall Street Journal as "truly extraordinary . . . the best book ever written on a case of espionage," this book by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Weiner offers the first truly definitive history of the CIA.

Other NBA nominees included Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat (Alfred A. Knopf) and Ralph Ellison: A Biography by Arnold Rampersad (Alfred A. Knopf) for non-fiction, and Like You'd Understand, Anyway by Jim Shepard (Alfred A. Knopf) for fiction.

Also at the National Book Award ceremony, Knopf/Vintage author Joan Didion was given the 2007 Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.