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National Book Awards 2024

The 2024 National Book Awards went to James by Percival Everett (Fiction), Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling by Jason De León (Nonfiction) and Something About Living by Lena Khalaf Tuffaha (Poetry), with winners in 2 more categories. 25 books were finalists and 50 books made the longlist across 5 categories.

Winners

Fiction

  1. James by Percival Everettsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling by Jason De Leónsource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Something About Living by Lena Khalaf Tuffahasource (opens in a new tab)

Translated Literature

  1. Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, translated by Lin Kingsource (opens in a new tab)

Young People's Literature

  1. Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadisource (opens in a new tab)

Finalists

Fiction

  1. All Fours by Miranda Julysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Ghostroots by ’Pemi Agudasource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbarsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. My Friends by Hisham Matarsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. Circle of Hope: A Reckoning with Love, Power, and Justice in an American Church by Eliza Griswoldsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder by Salman Rushdiesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Unshrinking: How to Face Fatphobia by Kate Mannesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Whiskey Tender by Deborah Jackson Taffasource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Modern Poetry by Diane Seusssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Wrong Norma by Anne Carsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. [...] by Fady Joudahsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. mother by m.s. RedCherriessource (opens in a new tab)

Translated Literature

  1. The Book Censor’s Library by Bothayna Al-Essa, translated by Ranya Abdelrahman and Sawad Hussainsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The Villain's Dance by Fiston Mwanza Mujila, translated by Roland Glassersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Where the Wind Calls Home by Samar Yazbek, translated by Leri Pricesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Ædnan by Linnea Axelsson, translated by Saskia Vogelsource (opens in a new tab)

Young People's Literature

  1. Buffalo Dreamer by Violet Duncansource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kellysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky by Josh Galarzasource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Unboxing of a Black Girl by Angela Shantésource (opens in a new tab)

Longlist

Fiction

  1. Catalina by Karla Cornejo Villavicenciosource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Creation Lake by Rachel Kushnersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Rejection by Tony Tulathimuttesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Most by Jessica Anthonysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Yr Dead by Sam Saxsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. A Great Disorder: National Myth and the Battle for America by Richard Slotkinsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Magical/Realism: Essays on Music, Memory, Fantasy, and Borders by Vanessa Angélica Villarrealsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Our Moon: How Earth's Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution, and Made Us Who We Are by Rebecca Boylesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The War Below: Lithium, Copper, and the Global Battle to Power Our Lives by Ernest Scheydersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension by Hanif Abdurraqibsource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Life on Earth by Dorianne Lauxsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Liontaming in America by Elizabeth Willissource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Silver by Rowan Ricardo Phillipssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Spectral Evidence by Gregory Pardlosource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Book of Wounded Sparrows by Octavio Quintanillasource (opens in a new tab)

Translated Literature

  1. On the Calculation of Volume (Book I) by Solvej Balle, translated by Barbara J. Havelandsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Pink Slime by Fernanda Trías, translated by Heather Clearysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Abyss by Fernando Vallejo, translated by Yvette Siegertsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Tale of a Wall: Reflections on the Meaning of Hope and Freedom by Nasser Abu Srour, translated by Luke Leafgrensource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Woodworm by Layla Martínez, translated by Sophie Hughes and Annie McDermottsource (opens in a new tab)

Young People's Literature

  1. Ariel Crashes a Train by Olivia A. Colesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribaysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Free Period by Ali Teresesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williamssource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Wild Dreamers by Margarita Englesource (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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