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National Book Awards 2023

The 2023 National Book Awards went to Blackouts by Justin Torres (Fiction), The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History by Ned Blackhawk (Nonfiction) and from unincorporated territory [åmot] by Craig Santos Perez (Poetry), with winners in 2 more categories. 25 books were finalists and 50 books made the longlist across 5 categories.

Winners

Fiction

  1. Blackouts by Justin Torressource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History by Ned Blackhawksource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. from unincorporated territory [åmot] by Craig Santos Perezsource (opens in a new tab)

Translated Literature

  1. The Words That Remain by Stênio Gardel, translated by Bruna Dantas Lobatosource (opens in a new tab)

Young People's Literature

  1. A First Time for Everything by Dan Santatsource (opens in a new tab)

Finalists

Fiction

  1. Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyahsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Temple Folk by Aaliyah Bilalsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylväinensource (opens in a new tab)
  4. This Other Eden by Paul Hardingsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World by John Vaillantsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Liliana’s Invincible Summer: A Sister’s Search for Justice by Cristina Rivera Garzasource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Ordinary Notes by Christina Sharpesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. We Could Have Been Friends, My Father and I: A Palestinian Memoir by Raja Shehadehsource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. From From by Monica Younsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. How to Communicate by John Lee Clarksource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Tripas by Brandon Somsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. suddenly we by Evie Shockleysource (opens in a new tab)

Translated Literature

  1. Abyss by Pilar Quintana, translated by Lisa Dillmansource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Beyond the Door of No Return by David Diop, translated by Sam Taylorsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, translated by Anton Hursource (opens in a new tab)
  4. On a Woman’s Madness by Astrid Roemer, translated by Lucy Scottsource (opens in a new tab)

Young People's Literature

  1. Big by Vashti Harrisonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Gather by Kenneth M. Cadowsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Huda F Cares? by Huda Fahmysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Lost Year: A Survival Story of the Ukrainian Famine by Katherine Marshsource (opens in a new tab)

Longlist

Fiction

  1. A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Powersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Holler, Child by LaToya Watkinssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Loot by Tania Jamessource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillipssource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Ponyboy by Eliot Duncansource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. A Man of Two Faces: A Memoir, A History, A Memorial by Viet Thanh Nguyensource (opens in a new tab)
  2. I Saw Death Coming: A History of Terror and Survival in the War Against Reconstruction by Kidada E. Williamssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. King: A Life by Jonathan Eigsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Slip: The New York City Street That Changed American Art Forever by Prudence Peiffersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. When Crack Was King: A People's History of a Misunderstood Era by Donovan X. Ramseysource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Promises of Gold by José Olivarezsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The Diaspora Sonnets by Oliver de la Pazsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Trace Evidence by Charif Shanahansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Vexations by Annelyse Gelmansource (opens in a new tab)
  5. West: A Translation by Paisley Rekdalsource (opens in a new tab)

Translated Literature

  1. Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, translated by Michael Hofmannsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. No One Prayed Over Their Graves by Khaled Khalifa, translated by Leri Pricesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Devil of the Provinces by Juan Cárdenas, translated by Lizzie Davissource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Most Secret Memory of Men by Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, translated by Lara Vergnaudsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. This Is Not Miami by Fernanda Melchor, translated by Sophie Hughessource (opens in a new tab)

Young People's Literature

  1. Forget Me Not by Alyson Derricksource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day by Dan Nottsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. More Than a Dream: The Radical March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom by Yohuru Williams and Michael G. Longsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tangsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bowsource (opens in a new tab)

About the National Book Awards

From nationalbook.org year pages. Each book appears once, at its highest tier, as the Foundation lists it: longlisted books that became finalists or winners are listed only at that tier. Longlists began in 2013; Translated Literature began in 2018. Translated Literature entries name the original author as author and the translator(s) as translator.

Organization: National Book Foundation. Years are award years, which can differ from publication years. Official site (opens in a new tab)

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