After two years of virtual-only award ceremonies, the National Book Awards returned in person at the lavish Cipriani in New York City. Padma Lakshmi, model, author, and host of Taste the Nation and Top Chef, opened the 73rd National Book Awards, which was also live streamed. Lakshmi and many of the other writers who spoke throughout the evening, spotlighted the book bans that are happening all over the country, and challenged all to stand up against them. about book banning and the need to fight against it. This time in our lit culture poses more challenges than ever. How can we protect and guard what our writers are doing?
Ibram X. Kendi presented Tracie D. Hall, the first Black woman to lead the American Library Association, with the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community. Hall dedicated her accolade to librarians everywhere, saying, “Remember, free people read freely.” Neil Gaiman presented the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters to Art Spiegelman, author of Maus, which was banned by the McMinn County Board of Education in Tennessee. Spiegelman referenced the banning, and that it had actually resulted in an increase in sales of the book. Yay!
Without further ado (drumroll...) the winners in the five categories:
Fiction
The Rabbit Hutch, by Tess Gunty
Nonfiction
South to America, by Imani Perry
Poetry
Punks: New & Selected Poems, by John Keene
Young People’s Literature
All My Rage, by Sabaa Tahir
Translated Literature
Seven Empty Houses, by Samanta Schweblin, translated from Spanish by Megan McDowell
See below for more finalists and winners in the fiction and nonfiction categories.