Carla Hayden; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress, opens the 19th annual Library of Congress National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Carla Hayden; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress, opens the 19th annual Library of Congress National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Carla Hayden; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress, presented the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction to Richard Ford at its 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Carla Hayden; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress, presented the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction to Richard Ford at its 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Carla Hayden; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress, presented the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction to Richard Ford at its 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford speaks at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford discusses his life's work with Marie Arana at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)

Richard Ford; Library of Congress National Book Festival

Novelist and short story writer Richard Ford discusses his life's work with Marie Arana at the Library of Congress 19th annual National Book Festival which featured more than a hundred best-selling authors, novelists, historians, poets and children's writers on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Ford received the 2019 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. (Photo by Jeff Malet)