2025 National Book Awards: Winners Revealed
The winners of the 2025 National Book Awards were unveiled during the 76th annual ceremony, celebrating literary excellence across various genres. Hosted by Jeff Hiller and featuring a performance by Corinne Bailey Rae, the event highlighted remarkable talents in the literary community.
2025 National Book Awards Winners
This year, five categories honored outstanding contributions in literature:
- Fiction: Rabih Alameddine for The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother), published by Grove Press / Grove Atlantic.
- Nonfiction: Omar El Akkad for One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, published by Knopf / Penguin Random House.
- Poetry: Patricia Smith for The Intentions of Thunder: New and Selected Poems, published by Scribner / Simon & Schuster.
- Translated Literature: Gabriela Cabezón Cámara for We Are Green and Trembling, translated from Spanish by Robin Myers, published by New Directions Publishing.
- Young People’s Literature: Daniel Nayeri for The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story, published by Levine Querido.
Awards for Lifetime Achievement
In addition to category winners, the ceremony also honored two distinguished figures in literature:
- George Saunders: Received the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, presented by Deborah Treisman.
- Roxane Gay: Awarded the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community, presented by Jacqueline Woodson.
Event Details
The ceremony attracted a diverse audience, held in-person at Cipriani Wall Street, New York City, while being broadcast online. Notable introductions for Surprise Finalist categories were made by prominent book lovers, including Lena Dunham, Tan France, Ira Glass, Dakota Johnson, and Laufey.
Participation and Submissions
This year saw significant participation with a total of 1,835 books submitted by publishers:
| Category | Submissions |
|---|---|
| Fiction | 434 |
| Nonfiction | 652 |
| Poetry | 285 |
| Translated Literature | 139 |
| Young People’s Literature | 325 |
The judges for the National Book Awards operate independently from the National Book Foundation staff and Board of Directors, ensuring impartiality throughout the selection process.
