The National Book Award for Fiction is one of five annual National Book Awards that recognize outstanding literary work by United States citizens. Since 1987, the National Book Foundation has administered and presented the awards, but they are awards "by writers to writers". The judges are five "writers who are known to be doing great work in their genre or field".
General fiction was one of four categories when the awards were reestablished in 1950. For several years beginning in 1980, there were multiple fiction categories: hardcover, paperback, first novel or first work of fiction; from 1981 to 1983 hardcover and paperback children's fiction; and in 1980 five awards for mystery fiction, science fiction, and western fiction. When the Foundation celebrated the 60th postwar awards in 2009, all but three of the 77 previous winners in fiction categories were in print. The 77 included all eight 1980 winners but excluded the 1981 to 1983 children's fiction winners.
The award recognizes one book written by a U.S. citizen and published in the U.S. from December 1 to November 30. The National Book Foundation accepts nominations from publishers until June 15, requires that nominated books be mailed to the judges by August 1, and announces five finalists in October. The winner is announced on the day of the final ceremony in November. The award is $10,000 and a bronze sculpture; other finalists get $1,000, a medal, and a citation written by the panel.
Authors who have won the award more than once include William Faulkner, John Updike, William Gaddis, Jesmyn Ward, and Philip Roth, each having won twice along with numerous other nominations. Saul Bellow won the award in 1954, 1965, and 1971, and is the only author to have won three National Book Awards for Fiction.
National Book Awards for Fiction From 1935 to 1941, there were six annual awards for general fiction and the "Bookseller Discovery" or "Most Original Book" was sometimes a novel. From 1980 to 1985, there were six annual awards to first novels or first works of fiction. In 1980 there were five awards for mystery, western, or science fiction. There have been many awards to fiction in the Children's or Young People's categories.
Honorees, general fiction
This list covers only the postwar awards (pre-war awards follow) to general fiction for adult readers: one annual winner from 1950 except two undifferentiated winners 1973 to 1975, dual hardcover and paperback winners 1980 to 1983.
For each award, the winner is listed first, followed by the finalists. Unless otherwise noted, the year represents the year the award was given for books published in the previous year. Thus, the award year 1950 is for books published in 1949.
1950s +National Book Award for Fiction winners and finalists, 1950-1959 Year Author Title Result 1950WinnerNo runners up were recognized. There were five honorable mentions in the non-fiction category only.1951Collected Stories of William FaulknerWinnerFinalist1952From Here to EternityWinnerFinalistFinalistRequiem for a NunFinalistFinalistFinalistMelville Goodwin, USAFinalistFinalistLie Down in DarknessFinalistFinalistFinalist1953Invisible ManWinnerMany MansionsFinalistWinds of MorningFinalistFinalistFinalistJefferson SelleckFinalistFinalistFinalistFinalistEast of EdenFinalistFinalist1954WinnerNo runners up were recognized.1955WinnerFinalistFinalistFinalistPictures from an InstitutionFinalistFinalistLord GrizzlyFinalistFinalistFinalistFinalistSweet ThursdayFinalist1956Ten North FrederickWinnerFinalistFinalistAndersonvilleFinalistFinalistFaithful Are the WoundsFinalistBand of AngelsFinalistFinalistMarjorie MorningstarFinalist1957WinnerFinalistGiovanni's RoomFinalistSeize the DayFinalistGreenwillowFinalistThese Thousand HillsFinalistFinalistGenerations of MenFinalistFinalistFinalistFinalistFurther Fables for Our TimeFinalist1958WinnerFinalistBy Love PossessedFinalistSomething About a SoldierFinalistFinalistFinalistLove Among the CannibalsFinalistPninFinalistAtlas ShruggedFinalistFinalistFinalist1959WinnerFinalistHome from the HillFinalistLolitaFinalistFrom the TerraceFinalistFinalistFinalistAnatomy of a MurderFinalist
1960s +National Book Award for Fiction winners and finalists, 1960-1969 Year Author Title Result 1960Goodbye, ColumbusWinnerPursuit of the ProdigalFinalistFinalistHenderson the Rain KingFinalistMrs. BridgeFinalistFinalistWake Up, StupidFinalistFinalistMen DieFinalistFinalistFinalistFinalistFinalistMalcolmFinalistFinalistFinalistFinalistFinalist1961WinnerFinalistGeneration Without FarewellFinalistFinalistFinalistTo Kill a MockingbirdFinalistCeremony in Lone TreeFinalistFinalistFinalistFinalistRabbit, RunFinalistFinalist1962WinnerFalse EntryFinalistAmong the DangsFinalistCatch-22FinalistFinalistFinalistFranny and ZooeyFinalistFinalistFinalistFinalistRevolutionary RoadFinalist1963Morte d'UrbanWinnerPale FireFinalistShip of FoolsFinalistFinalistPigeon Feathers and Other StoriesFinalist1964WinnerIdiots FirstFinalistFinalistV.FinalistFinalist1965HerzogWinnerFinalistSecond SkinFinalistFinalistTo an Early GraveFinalistFinalistShort Friday and Other StoriesFinalist1966WinnerFinalistAt Play in the Fields of the LordFinalistFinalistEverything That Rises Must ConvergeFinalistPericles on 31st StreetFinalist1967WinnerFinalistAll in the FamilyFinalistFinalistFinalistOffice PoliticsFinalist1968WinnerWhy Are We in Vietnam?FinalistFinalistFinalistFinalist1969StepsWinnerLost in the FunhouseFinalistFinalistExpensive PeopleFinalistFinalist
1970s +National Book Award for Fiction winners and finalists, 1970-1979 Year Author Title Result 1970themWinnerFat CityFinalistGoing PlacesFinalistFinalistSlaughterhouse-FiveFinalist1971Mr. Sammler's PlanetWinnerDeliveranceFinalistFinalistBech: A BookFinalistLosing BattlesFinalist1972WinnerLion CountryFinalistFinalistFinalistFarragan's RetreatFinalistWonderlandFinalistFinalistLove in the RuinsFinalistFinalistRabbit ReduxFinalist1973The Fiction panels split the 1973, 1974, and 1975 awards. Split awards have been prohibited continuously from 1984.ChimeraWinnerAugustusFinalistHermaphrodeityFinalistGeronimo RexFinalistFinalistFinalistTransparent ThingsFinalistMumbo JumboFinalistFinalistEnemies, A Love StoryFinalistFinalist1974Gravity's RainbowWinnerBeasts of the Southern Wild and Other StoriesFinalistFinalistApostles of LightFinalistSearches and SeizuresFinalistNickel MountainFinalistBlack ConceitFinalistNinety-Two in the ShadeFinalistPeople Will Always Be KindFinalistBurrFinalistState of GraceFinalist1975Dog SoldiersWinnerGuilty PleasuresFinalistFinalistSomething HappenedFinalistSulaFinalistLook at the Harlequins!FinalistEnormous Changes at the Last MinuteFinalistMy Life as a ManFinalistFinalist1976J RWinnerHumboldt's GiftFinalistFinalistOther People's LivesFinalistTyrants Destroyed and Other StoriesFinalistBeyond the Bedroom WallFinalist1977WinnerWill You Please Be Quiet, Please?FinalistFinalistOrsinian TalesFinalistFinalist1978Blood TieWinnerFinalistMadder MusicFinalistElbow RoomFinalistUnion DuesFinalist1979Going After CacciatoWinnerFinalistFinalistLying LowFinalistFinalist
1980s For 1980 to 1983 this list covers the paired "Fiction (hardcover)" and "Fiction (paperback)" awards in that order. Hard and paper editions were distinguished only in these four years; none of the paperback winners were original; in their first editions all had been losing finalists in 1979 or 1981.
From 1980 to 1985 there was also one award for first novel or first work of fiction and in 1980 there were five more awards for mystery, western, and science fiction. None of those are covered here.
1980-1983 +National Book Award for Fiction winners and finalists, 1980-1983 Year Category Author Title Result 1980HardcoverSophie's ChoiceWinner Just Above My HeadFinalistFinalistFinalistEndless LoveFinalistPaperbackWinnerCollected StoriesFinalistViolet ClayFinalistToo Far to GoFinalistMiss MacIntosh, My Darling, Volumes 1 and 2Finalist1981HardcoverPlains SongWinnerFinalistSo Long, See You TomorrowFinalistFinalistFinalistPaperbackWinnerFinalistFinalistEndless LoveFinalistWar and RemembranceFinalist1982HardcoverRabbit is RichWinnerEllis Island and Other StoriesFinalistFinalistFinalistDadFinalistPaperbackSo Long, See You TomorrowWinnerLoon LakeFinalistFinalistFinalistMorgan's PassingFinalist1983HardcoverWinnerFinalistShiloh and Other StoriesFinalistFinalistDinner at the Homesick RestaurantFinalistPaperbackWinnerFinalistFinalistHousekeepingFinalistFinalist1983 entries were published during 1982; winners in 27 categories were announced April 13 and privately celebrated April 28, 1983.
1984 entries for the "revamped" awards in three categories were published November 1983 to October 1984; eleven finalists were announced October 17. Winners were announced and celebrated November 15, 1984.
1984-1989 +National Book Award for Fiction winners and finalists, 1984-1989 Year Author Title Result 1984Victory Over JapanWinnerForeign AffairsFinalistFinalist1985White NoiseWinnerAlways Coming HomeFinalistFinalist1986World's FairWinnerWhitesFinalistFinalist1987Paco's StoryWinnerThat NightFinalistBelovedFinalistFinalistFinalist1988Paris TroutWinnerLibraFinalistVanishedFinalistWheat That Springeth GreenFinalistBreathing LessonsFinalist1989SpartinaWinnerBilly BathgateFinalistGeek LoveFinalistFinalistFinalist
1990s +National Book Award for Fiction winners and finalists, 1990-1999 Year Author Title Result 1990Middle PassageWinner ChromosFinalist ParadiseFinalist DogeatersFinalist Because It Is Bitter, and Because It Is My HeartFinalist1991 MatingWinner Wartime LiesFinalistFrogFinalist Finalist Beyond DeservingFinalist1992 All the Pretty HorsesWinner Bastard Out of CarolinaFinalistDreaming in CubanFinalist Lost in the CityFinalistOuterbridge ReachFinalist1993 Winner Come to Me: StoriesFinalist Finalist Operation Wandering SoulFinalist Swimming in the VolcanoFinalist1994 Winner Moses SupposesFinalist White Man's GraveFinalist Finalist Finalist1995 Sabbath's TheaterWinner All Souls' RisingFinalist Krik? Krak!FinalistInterstateFinalist Finalist1996 Ship Fever and Other StoriesWinnerAtticusFinalist Finalist Martin Dressler: The Tale of an American DreamerFinalist Finalist1997 Cold MountainWinner UnderworldFinalist Le DivorceFinalist Echo HouseFinalist Finalist1998 Charming BillyWinner Kaaterskill FallsFinalist FinalistDamascus GateFinalist Finalist1999 WaitingWinner House of Sand and FogFinalist PlainsongFinalist Hummingbird HouseFinalistWho Do You LoveFinalist
2000s +National Book Award for Fiction winners and finalists, 2000-2009 Year Author Title Result 2000 In AmericaWinnerFinalist Finalist BlondeFinalist Blue AngelFinalist2001 Winner Among the MissingFinalist Look at MeFinalist Finalist Highwire MoonFinalist2002 Three JunesWinnerBig IfFinalist You Are Not a Stranger HereFinalist Gorgeous LiesFinalistFinalist2003 Winner Drop CityFinalist FinalistFinalist Evidence of Things UnseenFinalist2004 Winner Madeleine is SleepingFinalist FloridaFinalist Ideas of Heaven: A Ring of StoriesFinalist Our KindFinalist2005 Europe CentralWinner Finalist VeronicaFinalist TranceFinalist Holy SkirtsFinalist2006 Winner Only RevolutionsFinalist Finalist Eat the DocumentFinalist Finalist2007 Tree of SmokeWinner FieldworkFinalist Varieties of DisturbanceFinalist Then We Came to the EndFinalist Like You'd Understand, AnywayFinalist2008 Shadow CountryWinner Finalist Telex from CubaFinalist HomeFinalist Finalist2009 Let the Great World SpinWinner American SalvageFinalist In Other Rooms, Other WondersFinalist Lark and TermiteFinalist Far NorthFinalist
2010s