National Book Awards 2025: Celebrating the Year’s Most Powerful Voices in Literature
The National Book Awards 2025 are once again shining a spotlight on the stories that shaped the literary landscape this year. From emotionally charged fiction to deeply researched nonfiction and breathtaking poetry, this year’s finalists represent the diversity and depth of modern storytelling. With writers hailing from across the world and themes that touch on identity, resilience, and the human spirit, the awards promise a night of reflection and celebration when winners are announced on November 19, 2025, in New York City.
The 2025 National Book Awards Finalists
The National Book Foundation announced the National Book Awards shortlist across five major categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature. Each category offers a snapshot of the most compelling voices in contemporary writing.
Fiction Finalists
| Author | Book Title |
|---|---|
| Rabih Alameddine | The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) |
| Megha Majumdar | A Guardian and a Thief |
| Karen Russell | The Antidote |
| Ethan Rutherford | North Sun |
| Bryan Washington | Palaver |
These novels explore themes of displacement, belonging, and transformation, with stories ranging from surreal journeys to realistic portrayals of modern life. Ethan Rutherford’s North Sun has been particularly praised for weaving Arctic mythology into an intimate tale of survival, while Bryan Washington’s Palaver explores queer identity and cultural connection with characteristic warmth.
Nonfiction Finalists
The nonfiction shortlist brings together some of the year’s most thought-provoking voices:
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Yiyun Li – Things in Nature Merely Grow
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Omar El Akkad – for his investigative exploration of migration and conflict
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Julia Ioffe, Claudia Rowe, and Jordan Thomas – each offering unique insights into the political and personal forces shaping today’s world.
Yiyun Li’s memoir, which reflects on grief and the quiet resilience of life, has resonated deeply with readers and critics alike.
Poetry Finalists
Poetry remains a cornerstone of the National Book Awards, and the 2025 list is especially strong. The finalists include Cathy Linh Che, Tiana Clark, Richard Siken, Patricia Smith, and Gabrielle Calvocoressi. Their works span topics from generational trauma to love and faith, capturing emotion through language that feels both intimate and universal.
Translated Literature Finalists
This category celebrates global storytelling and the art of translation, featuring works originally written in Danish, Spanish, Dutch, Uzbek, and French. Each nominee brings a distinctive voice that crosses borders and languages, reinforcing how literature connects cultures.
Young People’s Literature Finalists
Stories for younger audiences take center stage with a powerful mix of imagination and social commentary. The finalists are:
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Amber McBride
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Hannah V. Sawyerr
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Ibi Zoboi
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Kyle Lukoff
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Daniel Nayeri
Their books explore identity, history, and the challenges faced by young readers in today’s world—offering both escapism and empowerment.
Literary Icons to Be Honored
In addition to the competitive categories, two beloved authors will receive special recognition. George Saunders will be honored for his contribution to American fiction, while Roxane Gay will receive the Literarian Lifetime Achievement Award for her work championing diversity and equity in literature. Gay’s influence as an editor, essayist, and cultural critic continues to shape conversations around representation and inclusion in publishing.
What the Winners Receive
Each category winner of the National Book Awards 2025 will receive $10,000 and a bronze medal, while the remaining finalists will take home $1,000 and a silver medal. These prizes are more than symbolic—they recognize the courage and creativity required to craft stories that challenge and inspire.
| Award | Prize |
|---|---|
| Category Winner | $10,000 + Bronze Medal |
| Finalists | $1,000 + Silver Medal |
From Longlist to Finalists
The journey to the finals began earlier this fall with the release of longlists featuring ten titles per category. Standout titles from the Fiction longlist included Flashlight by Susan Choi, Only Son by Kevin Moffett, The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy, and The Pelican Child by Joy Williams.
The careful curation from longlist to finalist shows the Foundation’s commitment to both established and emerging voices, offering readers a roadmap to some of the year’s best literature.
Spotlight on “North Sun”
Among this year’s most talked-about titles is North Sun by Ethan Rutherford, a haunting novel that fuses environmental themes with personal introspection. Set against the stark backdrop of the Arctic, it tells the story of loss and endurance through poetic prose. Rutherford’s background in maritime history lends authenticity to a narrative that feels both timeless and urgently modern.
Why the National Book Awards Still Matter
In an age where algorithms often decide what we read, the National Book Awards remain a reminder of literature’s ability to cut through the noise. The event doesn’t just reward excellence—it reaffirms the value of storytelling as a bridge between people, cultures, and generations.
When the winners are announced on November 19, the ceremony will celebrate not only individual achievement but the collective power of words to shape how we see ourselves and the world around us.
