Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Claudia Rankine is a poet, playwright, university professor, and a 2014 National Book Award Finalist for Poetry for her book, CITIZEN: AN AMERICAN LYRIC.

As What's The 411TV's book editor, I spoke with Claudia Rankine at the 65th Annual National Book Awards on November 19, 2014, at Cipriani Wall Street. CITIZEN: AN AMERICAN LYRIC, Ms. Rankine's nominated book, uses the power of poetry, prose, and images to shed light on the insidious behavior of micro-aggression.

Watch video interview with National Book Award Finalist for Poetry, Claudia Rankine

Claudia Rankine is the Henry G. Lee Professor of English at Pomona College and the author of four collections of poetry, including Don't Let Me Be Lonely: An American Lyric, PLOT, The End of the Alphabet, and Nothing in Nature is Private, which received the Cleveland State Poetry Prize. She is a winner of the Jackson Poetry Prize and a recipient of fellowships from the Academy of American Poetry, the National Endowments for the Arts, and the Lannan Foundation. In 2006, she served as a Judge for the National Book Award for Poetry.

To hear Claudia Rankine in her own words and to read an excerpt of CITIZEN: AN AMERICAN LYRIC, click here.

For more information about Claudia Rankine, visit: www.claudiarankine.com

Poet Adrian Matejka found out that he was a National Book Award finalist when he was in the shower.

So how did Matejka feel when he learned the news?

Check out the video with poet Adrian Matejka

"I was stunned and humbled and really honored," said Matejka. "It's amazing. It's has very little to do with me, it's all about Jack Johnson. The book is about the boxer and it's his story and I am just sort of taking care of it."

In the video, Matejka makes a plea to President Barack Obama to pardon Jack Johnson.

What's next for Matejka?

"I'm working on a book about astronomy," responded Matejka.

However, every time Matejka sits down to write a book about astronomy, he winds up writing a book about HUD housing that he grew up in.

So perhaps the book may be a book about HUD housing.

VIDEO: Dr. Devra Davis Discusses her new book, DISCONNECT: The Truth about Cell Phone Radiation, What the Industry Has Done to Hide It, and How to Protect Your Family

What's The 411TV was in the mix at Sprig restaurant on the upper East Side of Manhattan, dining with a backdrop of jazz while and listening to Dr. Devra Davis, Environmental Scientist, National Book Award finalist, and author of DISCONNECT: The Truth about Cell Phone Radiation, What the Industry Has Done to Hide It, and How to Protect Your Family.

In this original video, Dr. Davis discussed the critical need for smart cellphone usage particularly for children, pregnant women, and teens. Also, featured are Regina Mead, CEO, MeadProb4; and George Meyers, Senior Vice President, Cassidy Associates. They talked about the importance of Dr. Davis' work.

Over dinner, Dr. Davis gave us insight into what she believes killed Steve Jobs, the current trends in electromagnetic media and her life's work.