National Book Awards

The National Book Award is awarded by the Association of American Publishers. The following is a list of the winners for Fiction and Nonfiction; other categories include Poetry, Young People's Literature and the medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. Awards are announced in November of each year.

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Artist/Author/Cast:
Osnos, Evan
Call Number:
951.06 O8346a 2014
Description:

(Nonfiction, 2014)  This book delves into the complex transformation of modern China as seen through the lives of those citizens affected by its changing environment.

All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake
Artist/Author/Cast:
Miles, Tiya
Call Number:
306.362082 M6437a 2021
Description:

(Nonfiction, 2021) "Ashley's Sack" is embroidered with a handful of words that evoke a sweeping story of love passed down through generations.

All the Pretty Horses
Artist/Author/Cast:
McCarthy, Cormac
Call Number:
F McCarthy
Description:
(Fiction, 1992) When his grandfather and the home he grew up in is sold, John Grady Cole leaves his hometown with his best friend and heads to Mexico on horseback.
An American Requiem: God, My Father, and the War That Came Between Us
Artist/Author/Cast:
Carroll, James
Call Number:
959.7043 C3195a
Description:

(Nonfiction, 1996) This memoirs looks at a father and son who try to navigate their lives as they conflict with each others.

American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson
Artist/Author/Cast:
Ellis, Joseph J.
Call Number:
92 Jefferson
Description:
(Nonfiction, 1997) Ellis explores the complex world of Thomas Jefferson and separates fact from myth.
Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story
Artist/Author/Cast:
Monette, Paul
Call Number:
92 Monette
Description:
(Nonfiction, 1992) This memoir reflects on the author's life as "perfect Paul" Monette as he struggles to find himself and come out of the closet.
Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
Artist/Author/Cast:
Boo, Katherine
Call Number:
305.5 B7245b 2011
Description:
(Nonfiction, 2012) Based on three years of research and reporting, this book looks at the dramatic story of families working toward a better life in Mumbai.
Charming Billy
Artist/Author/Cast:
McDermott, Alice
Call Number:
F McDermott
Description:
(Fiction, 1998) Billy Lynch's friends and family gather to eulogize him, but even after death his life sparks revelations of disappointment and love.
Cold Mountain
Artist/Author/Cast:
Frazier, Charles
Call Number:
F Frazier
Description:
(Fiction, 1997) A deserting Confederate soldier risks his life to return to his sweetheart, who is fighting her own battle to save her farm from worsening conditions.
The Corrections
Artist/Author/Cast:
Franzen, Jonathan
Call Number:
F Franzen
Description:
(Fiction, 2001) Franzen's novel revolves around the troubled lives of the Lamberts who are getting together for "one last Christmas" as the family patriarch is showing signs of dementia.
The Dead Are Arising : The Life of Malcolm X
Artist/Author/Cast:
Payne, Les
Call Number:
320.546092 P3465d 2020
Description:

(Nonfiction, 2020) An epic biography of Malcolm X, drawing on hundreds of hours of the author's interviews, rewriting much of the known narrative.

The Echo Maker
Artist/Author/Cast:
Powers, Richard
Call Number:
F Powers
Description:
(Fiction, 2006) After a near fatal accident, Mark wakes up from a coma with a rare case of Capgras Syndrome and must face the aftermath of the accident.
Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II
Artist/Author/Cast:
Dower, John W.
Call Number:
952.04 D7464e
Description:
(Nonfiction, 1999) This book explores the aftermath of the Japanese defeat in WWII, including the affects it had on its society.
Europe Central
Artist/Author/Cast:
Vollmann, William T.
Call Number:
F Vollmann
Description:
(Fiction, 2005) Set in central Europe in the 20th century, this novel explores a wide array of characters and reflects on decisions made by those in difficult situations.
The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt
Artist/Author/Cast:
Stiles, T. J.
Call Number:
92 Vanderbilt 2009
Description:
(Nonfiction, 2009) Read about the life of the father of modern capitalism in this work that illustrates an important financial and economic movement.
A Frolic of His Own
Artist/Author/Cast:
Gaddis, William
Call Number:
F Gaddis
Description:
(Fiction, 1994) This novel focuses on history professor, Oscar Crease, and the litigious nature of society.
The Great Fire
Artist/Author/Cast:
Hazzard, Shirley
Call Number:
F Hazzard
Description:
(Fiction, 2003) At the end of WWII, the men and women of Europe and Asia struggle to put their lives back together.
Hell of a Book
Artist/Author/Cast:
Mott, Jason
Call Number:
F Mott
Description:

(Fiction, 2021) A Black author sets out on a cross-country publicity tour to promote his bestselling novel.

The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family
Artist/Author/Cast:
Gordon-Reed, Annette
Call Number:
973.460922 G6657h 2008
Description:
(Nonfiction, 2008) The author examines the complex and often ignored relationship between the Hemings family and President Thomas Jefferson in this historical work.
How We Die: Reflections on Life`s Final Chapter
Artist/Author/Cast:
Nuland, Sherwin B.
Call Number:
616.078 N9693h
Description:
(Nonfiction, 1994) Through personal stories, the author, Sherwin Nuland, explores death and the process of dying.

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