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National Book Awards 2025

The 2025 National Book Awards went to The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) by Rabih Alameddine (Fiction), One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad (Nonfiction) and The Intentions of Thunder: New and Selected Poems by Patricia Smith (Poetry), with winners in 2 more categories. 25 books were finalists and 50 books made the longlist across 5 categories.

Winners

Fiction

  1. The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) by Rabih Alameddinesource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkadsource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. The Intentions of Thunder: New and Selected Poems by Patricia Smithsource (opens in a new tab)

Translated Literature

  1. We Are Green and Trembling by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara, translated by Robin Myerssource (opens in a new tab)

Young People's Literature

  1. The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story by Daniel Nayerisource (opens in a new tab)

Finalists

Fiction

  1. A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdarsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. North Sun: Or, the Voyage of the Whaleship Esther by Ethan Rutherfordsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Palaver by Bryan Washingtonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Antidote by Karen Russellsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. Motherland: A Feminist History of Modern Russia, from Revolution to Autocracy by Julia Ioffesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Lisource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Wards of the State: The Long Shadow of American Foster Care by Claudia Rowesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. When It All Burns: Fighting Fire in a Transformed World by Jordan Thomassource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Becoming Ghost by Cathy Linh Chesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. I Do Know Some Things by Richard Sikensource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Scorched Earth by Tiana Clarksource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The New Economy by Gabrielle Calvocoressisource (opens in a new tab)

Translated Literature

  1. On the Calculation of Volume (Book III) by Solvej Balle, translated by Sophia Hersi Smith and Jennifer Russellsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Sad Tiger by Neige Sinno, translated by Natasha Lehrersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Remembered Soldier by Anjet Daanje, translated by David McKaysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. We Computers: A Ghazal Novel by Hamid Ismailov, translated by Shelley Fairweather-Vegasource (opens in a new tab)

Young People's Literature

  1. (S)Kin by Ibi Zoboisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoffsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Leaving Room by Amber McBridesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Truth Is by Hannah V. Sawyerrsource (opens in a new tab)

Longlist

Fiction

  1. Flashlight by Susan Choisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Only Son by Kevin Moffettsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Pelican Child by Joy Williamssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Sisters by Jonas Hassen Khemirisource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Wilderness by Angela Flournoysource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. Black Moses: A Saga of Ambition and the Fight for a Black State by Caleb Gaylesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. For the Sun After Long Nights: The Story of Iran's Women-Led Uprising by Fatemeh Jamalpour and Nilo Tabrizysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Run the Song: Writing About Running About Listening by Ben Ratliffsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Autobiography of H. Lan Thao Lam by Lana Linsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Salt Stones: Seasons of a Shepherd's Life by Helen Whybrowsource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Cold Thief Place by Esther Linsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Death Does Not End at the Sea by Gbenga Adesinasource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Death of the First Idea by Rickey Laurentiissource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Stay Dead by Natalie Shaperosource (opens in a new tab)
  5. TERROR COUNTER by Fargo Nissim Tbakhisource (opens in a new tab)

Translated Literature

  1. Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa, translated by Polly Bartonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, translated by Sophie Hughessource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Sleep Phase by Mohamed Kheir, translated by Robin Mogersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Queen of Swords by Jazmina Barrera, translated by Christina MacSweeneysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. We Do Not Part by Han Kang, translated by e. yaewon and Paige Aniyah Morrissource (opens in a new tab)

Young People's Literature

  1. A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe by Mahogany L. Brownesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez by María Dolores Águilasource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Song of a Blackbird by Maria van Lieshoutsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Corruption of Hollis Brown by K. Ancrumsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze by Derrick Barnessource (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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