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Awards season is upon us, and the National Book Award judges just released their 2025 shortlists across five categories. You may recall that longlists of 10 titles each began to roll out in September. Now the lists grow shorter in anticipation of the awards ceremony on Wednesday, November 19, when winners in each category will be announced. Finalists each take home $1,000, while the winner in each category received $10,000 and a bronze sculpture.
The Awards honor books written by U.S. authors for books published in the United States. The five categories include Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature.
Here’s the 2025 National Book Awards Shortlist for Fiction:
Here’s the 2025 National Book Awards Shortlist for Nonfiction:
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Here’s the 2025 National Book Awards Shortlist for Poetry:
Here’s the 2025 National Book Awards Shortlist for Translated Literature:
Here’s the 2025 National Book Awards Shortlist for Young People’s Literature:
The National Book Awards are among the most prestigious honors bestowed upon books in a given year. They began in 1936 by the American Booksellers Association, took a break during World War II, and then resumed under the leadership of several collaborating book industry organizations in 1950. A few decades later, the National Book Foundation took over, with the goal of ensuring these books are not only honored but that their impact is felt across the country in a real, meaningful way.
More information about the National Book Awards finalists isavailable on their website.
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