A celebration of creativity and recognition of achievement
The finalists for the 2025 National Book Awards have been announced, showcasing a diverse group of writers from various backgrounds and literary fields. Among the 25 nominees are novelists, poets, translators, and journalists whose works stand out for their innovation and narrative strength.
The winners will be revealed on November 19 in New York City during a ceremony honoring two lifetime achievement recipients: George Saunders, author and Syracuse University professor, and Roxane Gay, writer, cultural critic, and professor at Rutgers University–New Brunswick.
Returning honorees and emerging talent
Nine of this year’s finalists have been previously recognized by the National Book Foundation, the organization behind the awards. Rabih Alameddine, author of An Unnecessary Woman, was a finalist in 2014, and Megha Majumdar made the 2020 longlist for her debut A Burning. Poet Patricia Smith, finalist in 2008, returns with The Intentions of Thunder: New and Selected Poems.
International authors also feature prominently, such as Solvej Balle of Denmark, who was longlisted in 2024 for the Translated Literature category alongside translator Barbara J. Haveland. Writers Kyle Lukoff, Amber McBride, and Ibi Zoboi also reappear as finalists in the Young People’s Literature category.
Expanding the boundaries of literature
This year’s categories include Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature. Notably, all nonfiction finalists are first-time nominees, underscoring a wave of new perspectives within American letters.
The awards ceremony will be streamed live on the National Book Awards website, allowing global audiences to celebrate the writers who continue to shape and redefine contemporary literature.
