National Book Awards Celebrates Winners: Full List

The National Book Awards recognized outstanding literary achievements during its 2025 ceremony, honoring various authors across multiple categories.

A Celebration of Literary Excellence

This year’s fiction award was claimed by Rabih Alameddine for his novel, The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother). This story revolves around a discontented writer living in Beirut with his mother. Alameddine has published nine novels to date.

Honorees of the Night

Omar El Akkad received the nonfiction award for One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This. His book discusses Israel’s actions in Palestine and the complicity of the international community.

Gabriela Cabezón Cámara was recognized in the translated-literature category for her work, We Are Green and Trembling. In her acceptance speech, she opted to speak in Spanish, highlighting the challenges faced by marginalized languages.

Special Awards and Appearances

• Roxane Gay: Received the Literarian Award for her contributions to literature.
• George Saunders: Awarded a lifetime achievement honor, he thanked both readers and non-readers of his work.

Jeff Hiller hosted the event, while notable attendees included New Yorker fiction editor Deborah Treisman and a whimsical performance by Ellie the Elephant, who entertained guests with a book-reading mime act on the red carpet.

Full List of Winners

As the ceremony concluded, the literary community celebrated the vital voices and stories that continue to shape contemporary literature.