National Book Award: Winners, Finalists and Longlisted Titles

The mission of the National Book Foundation is to celebrate the best of American literature, to expand its audience, and to enhance the cultural value of great writing in America. National Book Awards are given five categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature.

Here we highlight the winners of African descent. The first African-American writer to win a National Book Award was Ralph Ellison, in 1953, for Invisible Man.

Check Out AALBC’s Coverage of the National Book Awards:  2024 – 2023 – 2017 – 2016 – 2015 – 2014 – 2013

2 Books Honored by the National Book Foundation in 2012

Finalist - Fiction

This Is How You Lose Her
by Junot Diaz

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• Selected for 1 Book Club’s Reading List
• A New York Times Notable Book for 2012

List Price: $26.95
Knopf (Sep 11, 2012)
Fiction, Hardcover, 224 pages
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Finalist - Poetry

Fast Animal
by Tim Seibles

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• Selected for 1 Book Club’s Reading List

List Price: $14.00
Etruscan Press (Feb 07, 2012)
Poetry, Paperback, 72 pages
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