Big Little Lies, airing on HBO, won in four categories: Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television; Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, (Nicole Kidman); Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Laura Dern); and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Alexander Skarsgard). The Handmaid’s Tale, airing on Hulu, won Best Television Series, Drama; and Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama (Elisabeth Moss). In addition, Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy went to Aziz Ansari for the Netflix series, Master of None. Ansari is the author of MODERN ROMANCE (Penguin Press).

[caption id="attachment_7796" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo Credit: Inwood/AP[/caption] The Handmaid’s Tale, airing on Hulu, won in six categories:  Outstanding Drama Series; Lead Actress, Drama Series (Elisabeth Moss); Supporting Actress, Drama Series (Ann Dowd); Guest Actress, Drama Series (Alexis Bledel); Directing for a Drama Series (Reed Morano); and Writing for Drama Series (Bruce Miller).   Several acceptance speeches praised and expressed gratitude to Ms. Atwood. Ms. Moss said, “”Thank you for what you did in 1985 and thank you for what you continue to do.”  Ms. Atwood received a standing ovation as she walked onto the stage when The Handmaid’s Tale  won Outstanding Drama Series. Big Little Lies, airing on HBO, won in five categories: Outstanding Limited Series; Lead Actress, Limited Series or Movie (Nicole Kidman); Supporting Actress, Limited Series or Movie (Laura Dern), Supporting Actor, Limited Series or Movie (Alexander Skarsgard); and Directing for a Limited Series (Jean-Marc Vallée).  BIG LITTLE LIES author Liane Moriarty was thanked a number of times, including by Nicole Kidman, who thanked Ms. Moriarty for writing a book “that presented strong, multi-dimensional women.” Also, Alec Baldwin, author of the upcoming Penguin Press book, YOU CAN’T SPELL AMERICA WITHOUT ME, won the Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Comedy (Saturday Night Live).  W. Kamau Bell, author of the Dutton title, THE AWKWARD THOUGHTS OF W. KAMAU BELL, won the Emmy for Unstructured Reality Program (United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell).  And  Aziz Ansari, Penguin Press author of MODERN ROMANCE, won the Emmy for Writing for a Comedy Series (Master of None).

landmark diary, actress Meryl Streep taped a moving video message, sharing with viewers how Anne Frank’s values have shaped her own, including holding on to hope when the world has entered dark times. Ms. Streep recorded this video at the New York offices of Penguin Random House, the publisher of the diary in the United States.  Our ongoing commitment to Ms. Frank’s diary began when Doubleday published the first English translation in 1952.  In subsequent years, Bantam, Anchor and Doubleday again have also released updated and expanded paperback and hardcover editions of the book. A timeless story discovered by each new generation, THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL stands without peer. For young readers and adults, the book continues to bring to life this young woman, who for a time survived the worst horrors the modern world had seen — and who remained triumphantly and heartbreakingly human throughout her ordeal.