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American Library Association · award year

Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence 2012

The 2012 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence went to The Forgotten Waltz by Anne Enright (Fiction) and Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie (Nonfiction). 6 books were finalists and 40 books made the longlist across 2 categories.

Winners

Fiction

  1. The Forgotten Waltz by Anne Enrightsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massiesource (opens in a new tab)

Finalists

Fiction

  1. Lost Memory of Skin by Russell Bankssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Swamplandia! by Karen Russellsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marablesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood by James Gleicksource (opens in a new tab)

Longlist

Fiction

  1. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakamisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. American Boy by Larry Watsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Changó's Beads and Two-Tone Shoes by William Kennedysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Faith by Jennifer Haighsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Light Lifting by Alexander MacLeodsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Luminarium by Alex Shakarsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Say Her Name by Francisco Goldmansource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbachsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatjesource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenidessource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnessource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWittsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obrehtsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Tragedy of Arthur by Arthur Phillipssource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlantesource (opens in a new tab)
  16. We the Animals by Justin Torressource (opens in a new tab)
  17. When She Woke by Hillary Jordansource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. Apollo's Angels: A History of Ballet by Jennifer Homanssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Arguably: Essays by Christopher Hitchenssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Class Warfare: Inside the Fight to Fix America's Schools by Steven Brillsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President by Candice Millardsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Elizabeth and Hazel: Two Women of Little Rock by David Margolicksource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Inside Scientology: The Story of America's Most Secretive Religion by Janet Reitmansource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend by Susan Orleansource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Big Thirst: The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water by Charles Fishmansource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjeesource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Greater Journey: American in Paris by David McCulloughsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Memory Palace by Mira Bartóksource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Paper Garden: An Artist (Begins Her Work Life) at 72 by Molly Peacocksource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement by David Brookssource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblattsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahnemansource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time by Mark Adamssource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrandsource (opens in a new tab)

About the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence

Winners, finalists (the shortlist) and longlists from ALA's per-year Carnegie Medals pages. The medals began in 2012. Winners also appear on their year's shortlist; each book is stored once per year at its highest level. No nonfiction medal was awarded in 2018 after Sherman Alexie declined it, so that year has three nonfiction finalists and no winner.

Organization: American Library Association. Years are award years, which can differ from publication years. Official site (opens in a new tab)

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