National Book Award

The National Book Award is one of the most closely watched literary prizes in the United States. First presented in 1950, it has been run since 1989 by the National Book Foundation, a nonprofit devoted to bringing more readers to contemporary writing. Today there are five categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature and Young People's Literature. Earlier decades used other categories, among them history, science, children's books and first novels, and this site keeps those historical results alongside the current ones.

Each category is judged by its own panel of five writers, critics, booksellers and librarians, working independently of the foundation. Publishers submit eligible titles, the panels name a longlist of ten in September, narrow it to five finalists in October, and the winners are revealed at a ceremony in New York each November.

Publishers submit books by American writers that were published in the United States during the award year. Translated Literature considers books translated into English from other languages.