1983 National Book Award

• National Book Award

  A Mother and Two Daughters

  Gail Godwin

  National Book Award Finalist

• National Book Award

  Shiloh and Other Stories

  Bobbie Ann Mason

  National Book Award Finalist

• National Book Award

  The Mosquito Coast

  Paul Theroux

  National Book Award Finalist

Also recognized

• Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne TylerFinalist

• National Book Award

  Growing Up

  Russell Baker

  National Book Award Finalist

• National Book Award

  Sketches from Life: The Early Years

  Lewis Mumford

  National Book Award Finalist

• National Book Award

  The Path to Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson

  Robert A. Caro

  National Book Award Finalist

• National Book Award

  Tumultuous Years: The Presidency of Harry S. Truman, 1949-1953

  Robert J. Donovan

  National Book Award Finalist

• National Book Award

  Everything We Had: An Oral History of the Vietnam War

  Al Santoli

  National Book Award Finalist

• National Book Award

  Joe McCarthy and the Press

  Edwin R. Bayley

  National Book Award Finalist

• National Book Award

  Pioneer Women: Voices from the Kansas Frontier

  Joanna L. Stratton

  National Book Award Finalist

Also recognized

• Abroad: British Literary Traveling Between the Wars by Paul FussellFinalist

• National Book Award

  Almost Famous

  David Small

  National Book Award Finalist

• National Book Award

  Matters of Chance

  Gail Albert

  National Book Award Finalist

• National Book Award

  My Old Sweetheart

  Susanna Moore

  National Book Award Finalist

• National Book Award

  The 13th Valley

  John M. Del Vecchio

  National Book Award Finalist