Larry Kramer, Frank Deford, Katherine Boo are among PEN award winners

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Playwright Larry Kramer and sportswriter Frank Deford are among this year’s winners of awards given by the PEN American Center, the literary and human rights organization.

Sergio De Le Pava, author of “A Naked Singularity,” has received a $25,000 prize for writing the best debut novel. Katherine Boo’s “Beyond the Beautiful Forevers” is cited for best nonfiction and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Robert Hass’ “What Light Can Do” for best essay collection. Boo and Hass each will receive $10,000.

Also Wednesday, Kramer was named a master dramatist and received $7,500, while Deford was honoured with a $5,000 prize for lifetime achievement.