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2023 National Book Awards Longlist

Every book nominated for the prestigious literary prize this year

By Amanda Cleveland • September 17, 2023

Presented by the National Book Foundation, the National Book Awards celebrate the best writing in America. Every year, a winner is chosen in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and young people's literature. The National Book Awards were first established in 1950 and ever since have seen to it that the best writing in American be celebrated.

Every year a panel of 25 judges is selected, with judges specializing in different categories, to read all submitted books in their category. The judges then narrow those choices down to the longlist, five finalists, and then the ultimate winner of their category. Finalists receive $1,000 and a medal, the five winners receive a prize of $10,000 and a bronze sculpture. When an author has been honored by the awards, they become a lifelong member of the National Book Foundation.

Last year's top prizes went to:

This year's winners will be announced in November. In the meantime, here is a full list of all titles on the National Book Awards 2023 longlist.

Fiction

Nonfiction

Literature in Translation

Poetry

Young People's Literature

Congratulations to every writer nominated this year for this prestigious honor, and to the teams that helped bring these fifty brilliant new books to the world. This longlist will be narrowed down to five finalists in October. This year's winners will be announced in an awards ceremony November 15. We can't wait!

Read more by Amanda Cleveland

Books mentioned in this article
The Rabbit Hutch
The Rabbit Hutch
Tess Gunty

from: $4.19

South to America
South to America
Imani Perry

from: $8.59

Siete casas vacías
Siete casas vacías
Samanta Schweblin

from: $6.29

All My Rage
All My Rage
Sabaa Tahir

from: $7.99

Night Watch
Night Watch
Jayne Anne Phillips

from: $15.12

Temple Folk
Temple Folk
Aaliyah Bilal

from: $7.99

Ponyboy
Ponyboy
Eliot Duncan

from: $14.26

This Other Eden
This Other Eden
Paul Harding

from: $6.19

Loot
Loot
Tania James

from: $5.69

Chain-Gang All-Stars
Chain-Gang All-Stars
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

from: $13.89

The End of Drum-Time
The End of Drum-Time
Hanna Pylväinen

from: $11.79

A Council of Dolls
A Council of Dolls
Mona Susan Power

from: $12.59

Blackouts: A Novel
Blackouts: A Novel
Justin Torres

from: $16.39

Holler, Child: Stories
Holler, Child: Stories
LaToya Watkins

from: $5.29

The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History
The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History
Ned Blackhawk

from: $25.90

King: A Life
King: A Life
Jonathan Eig

from: $25.11

The Slip: The New York City Street That Changed American Art Forever
The Slip: The New York City Street That Changed American Art Forever
Prudence Peiffer

from: $28.13

When Crack Was King: A People's History of a Misunderstood Era
When Crack Was King: A People's History of a Misunderstood Era
Donovan X. Ramsey

from: $22.49

El invencible verano de Liliana
El invencible verano de Liliana
Cristina Rivera Garza

from: $15.75

Ordinary Notes
Ordinary Notes
Christina Sharpe

from: $14.09

We Could Have Been Friends, My Father and I: A Palestinian Memoir
We Could Have Been Friends, My Father and I: A Palestinian Memoir
Raja Shehadeh

from: $18.28

Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World
Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World
John Vaillant

from: $16.39

I Saw Death Coming: Liberation, Trauma, and the Tragedy of Reconstruction
I Saw Death Coming: Liberation, Trauma, and the Tragedy of Reconstruction
Kidada E. Williams

from: $22.64

El diablo de las provincias
El diablo de las provincias
Juan Cárdenas

from: $6.69

Cursed Bunny: Stories
Cursed Bunny: Stories
Bora Chung

from: $11.99

La Porte du voyage sans retour
La Porte du voyage sans retour
David Diop

from: $8.19

Kairos
Kairos
Jenny Erpenbeck

from: $11.29

A Palavra que Resta
A Palavra que Resta
Stênio Gardel

from: $8.79

No One Prayed Over Their Graves
No One Prayed Over Their Graves
Khaled Khalifa

from: $9.09

Aquí no es Miami
Aquí no es Miami
Fernanda Melchor

from: $13.54

Los abismos
Los abismos
Pilar Quintana

from: $5.59

Over de gekte van een vrouw: Een fragmentarische biografie
Over de gekte van een vrouw: Een fragmentarische biografie
Astrid H. Roemer

from: $6.09

La Plus Secrète Mémoire des hommes
La Plus Secrète Mémoire des hommes
Mohamed Mbougar Sarr

from: $13.89

How to Communicate: Poems
How to Communicate: Poems
John Lee Clark

from: $13.63

The Diaspora Sonnets
The Diaspora Sonnets
Oliver de la Paz

from: $13.84

Vexations
Vexations
Annelyse Gelman

from: $7.29

Promises of Gold
Promises of Gold
José Olivarez

from: $11.19

From Unincorporated Territory [åmot]
From Unincorporated Territory [åmot]
Craig Santos Pérez

from: $14.79

West: A Translation
West: A Translation
Paisley Rekdal

from: $19.60

Tripas
Tripas
Brandon Som

from: $16.35

Trace Evidence: Poems
Trace Evidence: Poems
Charif Shanahan

from: $14.26

suddenly we
suddenly we
Evie Shockley

from: $13.53

From From: Poems
From From: Poems
Monica Youn

from: $14.12

Simon Sort of Says
Simon Sort of Says
Erin Bow

from: $6.49

Forget Me Not
Forget Me Not
Alyson Derrick

from: $7.79

Huda F Cares
Huda F Cares
Huda Fahmy

from: $13.76

Big
Big
Vashti Harrison

from: $16.62

The Lost Year
The Lost Year
Katherine Marsh

from: $7.69

Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day
Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day
Dan Nott

from: $9.29

A First Time for Everything
A First Time for Everything
Dan Santat

from: $6.49

Parachute Kids: A Graphic Novel
Parachute Kids: A Graphic Novel

from: $5.89

More Than a Dream: The Radical March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
More Than a Dream: The Radical March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
Yohuru Williams

from: $6.09

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Books Mentioned in this Post

The Rabbit Hutch
The Rabbit Hutch
Tess Gunty

from: $4.19

South to America
South to America
Imani Perry

from: $8.59

Siete casas vacías
Siete casas vacías
Samanta Schweblin

from: $6.29

All My Rage
All My Rage
Sabaa Tahir

from: $7.99

Night Watch
Night Watch
Jayne Anne Phillips

from: $15.12

Temple Folk
Temple Folk
Aaliyah Bilal

from: $7.99

Ponyboy
Ponyboy
Eliot Duncan

from: $14.26

This Other Eden
This Other Eden
Paul Harding

from: $6.19

Loot
Loot
Tania James

from: $5.69

Chain-Gang All-Stars
Chain-Gang All-Stars
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

from: $13.89

The End of Drum-Time
The End of Drum-Time
Hanna Pylväinen

from: $11.79

A Council of Dolls
A Council of Dolls
Mona Susan Power

from: $12.59

Blackouts: A Novel
Blackouts: A Novel
Justin Torres

from: $16.39

Holler, Child: Stories
Holler, Child: Stories
LaToya Watkins

from: $5.29

The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History
The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History
Ned Blackhawk

from: $25.90

King: A Life
King: A Life
Jonathan Eig

from: $25.11

The Slip: The New York City Street That Changed American Art Forever
The Slip: The New York City Street That Changed American Art Forever
Prudence Peiffer

from: $28.13

When Crack Was King: A People's History of a Misunderstood Era
When Crack Was King: A People's History of a Misunderstood Era
Donovan X. Ramsey

from: $22.49

El invencible verano de Liliana
El invencible verano de Liliana
Cristina Rivera Garza

from: $15.75

Ordinary Notes
Ordinary Notes
Christina Sharpe

from: $14.09

We Could Have Been Friends, My Father and I: A Palestinian Memoir
We Could Have Been Friends, My Father and I: A Palestinian Memoir
Raja Shehadeh

from: $18.28

Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World
Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World
John Vaillant

from: $16.39

I Saw Death Coming: Liberation, Trauma, and the Tragedy of Reconstruction
I Saw Death Coming: Liberation, Trauma, and the Tragedy of Reconstruction
Kidada E. Williams

from: $22.64

El diablo de las provincias
El diablo de las provincias
Juan Cárdenas

from: $6.69

Cursed Bunny: Stories
Cursed Bunny: Stories
Bora Chung

from: $11.99

La Porte du voyage sans retour
La Porte du voyage sans retour
David Diop

from: $8.19

Kairos
Kairos
Jenny Erpenbeck

from: $11.29

A Palavra que Resta
A Palavra que Resta
Stênio Gardel

from: $8.79

No One Prayed Over Their Graves
No One Prayed Over Their Graves
Khaled Khalifa

from: $9.09

Aquí no es Miami
Aquí no es Miami
Fernanda Melchor

from: $13.54

Los abismos
Los abismos
Pilar Quintana

from: $5.59

Over de gekte van een vrouw: Een fragmentarische biografie
Over de gekte van een vrouw: Een fragmentarische biografie
Astrid H. Roemer

from: $6.09

La Plus Secrète Mémoire des hommes
La Plus Secrète Mémoire des hommes
Mohamed Mbougar Sarr

from: $13.89

How to Communicate: Poems
How to Communicate: Poems
John Lee Clark

from: $13.63

The Diaspora Sonnets
The Diaspora Sonnets
Oliver de la Paz

from: $13.84

Vexations
Vexations
Annelyse Gelman

from: $7.29

Promises of Gold
Promises of Gold
José Olivarez

from: $11.19

From Unincorporated Territory [åmot]
From Unincorporated Territory [åmot]
Craig Santos Pérez

from: $14.79

West: A Translation
West: A Translation
Paisley Rekdal

from: $19.60

Tripas
Tripas
Brandon Som

from: $16.35

Trace Evidence: Poems
Trace Evidence: Poems
Charif Shanahan

from: $14.26

suddenly we
suddenly we
Evie Shockley

from: $13.53

From From: Poems
From From: Poems
Monica Youn

from: $14.12

Simon Sort of Says
Simon Sort of Says
Erin Bow

from: $6.49

Forget Me Not
Forget Me Not
Alyson Derrick

from: $7.79

Huda F Cares
Huda F Cares
Huda Fahmy

from: $13.76

Big
Big
Vashti Harrison

from: $16.62

The Lost Year
The Lost Year
Katherine Marsh

from: $7.69

Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day
Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day
Dan Nott

from: $9.29

A First Time for Everything
A First Time for Everything
Dan Santat

from: $6.49

Parachute Kids: A Graphic Novel
Parachute Kids: A Graphic Novel

from: $5.89

More Than a Dream: The Radical March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
More Than a Dream: The Radical March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
Yohuru Williams

from: $6.09

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