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National Book Critics Circle Awards 2023

The 2023 National Book Critics Circle Awards went to How to Say Babylon: A Memoir by Safiya Sinclair (Autobiography), Winnie and Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage by Jonny Steinberg (Biography) and Deadpan: The Aesthetics of Black Inexpression by Tina Post (Criticism), with winners in 5 more categories. 42 books were finalists across 8 categories.

Winners

Autobiography

  1. How to Say Babylon: A Memoir by Safiya Sinclairsource (opens in a new tab)

Biography

  1. Winnie and Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage by Jonny Steinbergsource (opens in a new tab)

Criticism

  1. Deadpan: The Aesthetics of Black Inexpression by Tina Postsource (opens in a new tab)

Fiction

  1. I Am Homeless if This Is Not My Home by Lorrie Mooresource (opens in a new tab)

Gregg Barrios Book in Translation Prize

  1. Cold Nights of Childhood by Tezer Özlü, translated by Maureen Freelysource (opens in a new tab)

John Leonard Prize

  1. Waiting to Be Arrested at Night: a Uyghur Poet's Memoir of China's Genocide by Tahir Hamut Izgil, translated by Joshua L. Freemansource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America by Roxanna Asgariansource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Phantom Pain Wings by Kim Hyesoon, translated by Don Mee Choisource (opens in a new tab)

Finalists

Autobiography

  1. I Would Meet You Anywhere: A Memoir by Susan Kiyo Itosource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Rotten Evidence: Reading and Writing in an Egyptian Prison by Ahmed Naji, translated by Katharine Hallssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Secret Harvests: A Hidden Story of Separation and the Resilience of a Family Farm by David Mas Masumotosource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Story of a Poem: A Memoir by Matthew Zaprudersource (opens in a new tab)

Biography

  1. Betty Friedan: Magnificent Disruptor by Rachel Shteirsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Daughter of the Dragon: Anna May Wong's Rendezvous with American History by Yunte Huangsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. King: A Life by Jonathan Eigsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Life and Times of Hannah Crafts: The True Story of the Bondwoman's Narrative by Gregg Hecimovichsource (opens in a new tab)

Criticism

  1. Creep: Accusations and Confessions by Myriam Gurbasource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Kleinsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Pleasure and Efficacy: Of Pen Names, Cover Versions, and Other Trans Techniques by Grace E. Laverysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Chapter: A Segmented History from Antiquity to the Twenty-First Century by Nicholas Damessource (opens in a new tab)

Fiction

  1. Blackouts by Justin Torressource (opens in a new tab)
  2. North Woods by Daniel Masonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Tremor by Teju Colesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Vengeance Is Mine by Marie NDiaye, translated by Jordan Stumpsource (opens in a new tab)

Gregg Barrios Book in Translation Prize

  1. Happy Stories, Mostly by Norman Erikson Pasaribu, translated by Tiffany Tsaosource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Owlish by Dorothy Tse, translated by Natascha Brucesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Phantom Pain Wings by Kim Hyesoon, translated by Don Mee Choisource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Last Pomegranate Tree by Bachtyar Ali, translated by Kareem Abdulrahmansource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Zakwato & Loglêdou's Peril by Azo Vauguy, translated by Todd Fredsonsource (opens in a new tab)

John Leonard Prize

  1. A Nimble Arc: James Van Der Zee and Photography by Emilie Boonesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Black Pastoral by Ariana Bensonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Judgment and Mercy: The Turbulent Life and Times of the Judge Who Condemned the Rosenbergs by Martin J. Siegelsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Love of Singular Men by Victor Heringer, translated by James Youngsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. When Crack Was King by Donovan X. Ramseysource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. Bottoms Up and the Devil Laughs by Kerry Howleysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Ordinary Notes by Christina Sharpesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War by Jeff Sharletsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Who Gets Believed? When the Truth Isn't Enough by Dina Nayerisource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. All Souls by Saskia Hamiltonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Information Desk by Robyn Schiffsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Gathering of Bastards by Romeo Oriogunsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Trace Evidence by Charif Shanahansource (opens in a new tab)

About the National Book Critics Circle Awards

Year is the NBCC award year as the Circle labels it: the publication year of the books, with prizes presented the following March (the 2023 awards were presented in March 2024). From bookcritics.org past-awards pages. Category names follow each year's page: General Nonfiction through 2016, Nonfiction from 2017; Autobiography covers the Autobiography/Memoir category. Longlists appear on those pages only from 2024. Reviewing, lifetime, institutional, and service awards are excluded.

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

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