National Book Award for Fiction
The National Book Award for Fiction is one of five annual National Book Awards that recognize outstanding literary work by United States citizens.
- 2026
Winner not announced yet.
- Beginning Middle End by Valeria Luiselli
- Dèy by Edwidge Danticat
- Mad Eden by Morgan Thomas
- Paradiso 17 by Hannah Lillith Assadi
- Passengers by Alexander Maksik
- Pretend You’re Dead and I Carry You by Julián Delgado Lopera
- Python’s Kiss by Louise Erdrich
- Red Ants by Kimberly Blaeser
- The Disappearers by Marlon James
- The Renovation by Kenan Orhan
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- 2025
- 2024
- 2023
- 2022
- 2021
- 2020
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
- 2013
- 2012
- 2011
- 2010
- 2009
- 2008
- 2007
- 2006
- 2005
- 2004
- 2003
- 2002
- 2001
- 2000
- 1999
- 1998
- 1997
- 1996
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- 1994
- 1993
- 1992
- 1991
- 1990
- 1989
- 1988
- 1987
- 1986
- 1985
- 1984
- 1983
- 1982
- 1981
- 1980
- 1979
- 1978
- 1977
- 1976 J R
J R
William Gaddis
- Beyond the Bedroom Wall by Larry WoiwodeBeyond the Bedroom Wall
- Humboldt's Gift by Saul BellowHumboldt's Gift
- Other People's Lives by Johanna KaplanOther People's Lives
- The Collected Stories of Hortense Calisher by Hortense CalisherThe Collected Stories of Hortense Calisher
- Tyrants Destroyed and Other Stories by Vladimir NabokovTyrants Destroyed and Other Stories
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- 1975 Dog Soldiers
Dog Soldiers
Robert Stone
- Enormous Changes at the Last Minute by Grace PaleyEnormous Changes at the Last Minute
- Guilty Pleasures by Donald BarthelmeGuilty Pleasures
- Look at the Harlequins! by Vladimir NabokovLook at the Harlequins!
- My Life as a Man by Philip RothMy Life as a Man
- Something Happened by Joseph HellerSomething Happened
- Sula by Toni MorrisonSula
- The Death of the Detective by Mark SmithThe Death of the Detective
- The Odd Woman by Gail GodwinThe Odd Woman
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- 1974 A Crown of Feathers and Other Stories
A Crown of Feathers and Other Stories
Isaac Bashevis Singer
- Apostles of Light by Ellen DouglasApostles of Light
- Beasts of the Southern Wild and Other Stories by Doris BettsBeasts of the Southern Wild and Other Stories
- Black Conceit by John LeonardBlack Conceit
- Burr by Gore VidalBurr
- Nickel Mountain by John GardnerNickel Mountain
- Ninety-Two in the Shade by Thomas McGuaneNinety-Two in the Shade
- People Will Always Be Kind by Wilfrid SheedPeople Will Always Be Kind
- Searches and Seizures by Stanley ElkinSearches and Seizures
- State of Grace by Joy WilliamsState of Grace
- The World of Apples by John CheeverThe World of Apples
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- 1973 Augustus
Augustus
John Williams
- Enemies, A Love Story by Isaac Bashevis SingerEnemies, A Love Story
- Geronimo Rex by Barry HannahGeronimo Rex
- Hermaphrodeity by Alan H. FriedmanHermaphrodeity
- Mumbo Jumbo by Ishmael ReedMumbo Jumbo
- The Confessions of a Child of the Century by Thomas RogersThe Confessions of a Child of the Century
- The Friends of Eddie Coyle by George V. HigginsThe Friends of Eddie Coyle
- The Late Great Creature by Brock BrowerThe Late Great Creature
- The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora WeltyThe Optimist's Daughter
- The Prince by R. M. KosterThe Prince
- Transparent Things by Vladimir NabokovTransparent Things
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- 1972 The Complete Stories
The Complete Stories
Flannery O'Connor
- A Garden of Sand by Earl ThompsonA Garden of Sand
- Farragan's Retreat by Tom McHaleFarragan's Retreat
- Lion Country by Frederick BuechnerLion Country
- Love in the Ruins by Walker PercyLove in the Ruins
- Rabbit Redux by John UpdikeRabbit Redux
- The Book of Daniel by E. L. DoctorowThe Book of Daniel
- The Dick Gibson Show by Stanley ElkinThe Dick Gibson Show
- The Pagan Rabbi and Other Stories by Cynthia OzickThe Pagan Rabbi and Other Stories
- Wonderland by Joyce Carol OatesWonderland
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- 1971
- 1970
- 1969
- 1968
- 1967
- 1966 The Collected Stories of Katherine Anne Porter
The Collected Stories of Katherine Anne Porter
Katherine Anne Porter
- At Play in the Fields of the Lord by Peter MatthiessenAt Play in the Fields of the Lord
- Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'ConnorEverything That Rises Must Converge
- Pericles on 31st Street by Harry Mark PetrakisPericles on 31st Street
- The (Diblos) Notebook by James MerrillThe (Diblos) Notebook
- The Liberation of Lord Byron Jones by Jesse Hill FordThe Liberation of Lord Byron Jones
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- 1965 Herzog
Herzog
Saul Bellow
- Rector of Justin by Louis AuchinclossRector of Justin
- Second Skin by John HawkesSecond Skin
- Short Friday and Other Stories by Isaac Bashevis SingerShort Friday and Other Stories
- The Defense by Vladimir NabokovThe Defense
- The Martyred by Richard E. KimThe Martyred
- To an Early Grave by Wallace MarkfieldTo an Early Grave
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- 1964
- 1963
- 1962 The Moviegoer
The Moviegoer
Walker Percy
- A New Life by Bernard MalamudA New Life
- Among the Dangs by George P. ElliottAmong the Dangs
- Catch-22 by Joseph HellerCatch-22
- False Entry by Hortense CalisherFalse Entry
- Franny and Zooey by J. D. SalingerFranny and Zooey
- Revolutionary Road by Richard YatesRevolutionary Road
- The Chateau by William MaxwellThe Chateau
- The Morning and the Evening by Joan WilliamsThe Morning and the Evening
- The Pawnbroker by Edward Lewis WallantThe Pawnbroker
- The Spinoza of Market Street and Other Stories by Isaac Bashevis SingerThe Spinoza of Market Street and Other Stories
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- 1961 The Waters of Kronos
The Waters of Kronos
Conrad Richter
- A Separate Peace by John KnowlesA Separate Peace
- Ceremony in Lone Tree by Wright MorrisCeremony in Lone Tree
- Generation Without Farewell by Kay BoyleGeneration Without Farewell
- Rabbit, Run by John UpdikeRabbit, Run
- The Body of a Young Man by Mildred WalkerThe Body of a Young Man
- The Child Buyer by John HerseyThe Child Buyer
- The Christening Party by Francis SteegmullerThe Christening Party
- The House of Five Talents by Louis AuchinclossThe House of Five Talents
- The Light in the Piazza and Other Italian Tales by Elizabeth SpencerThe Light in the Piazza and Other Italian Tales
- The Violent Bear It Away by Flannery O'ConnorThe Violent Bear It Away
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper LeeTo Kill a Mockingbird
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- 1960 Goodbye, Columbus
Goodbye, Columbus
Philip Roth
- Henderson the Rain King by Saul BellowHenderson the Rain King
- Malcolm by James PurdyMalcolm
- Men Die by H. L. HumesMen Die
- Mrs. Bridge by Evan S. ConnellMrs. Bridge
- Pursuit of the Prodigal by Louis AuchinclossPursuit of the Prodigal
- The Cave by Robert Penn WarrenThe Cave
- The Cool World by Warren MillerThe Cool World
- The Devil's Advocate by Morris WestThe Devil's Advocate
- The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley JacksonThe Haunting of Hill House
- The Light Infantry Ball by Hamilton BassoThe Light Infantry Ball
- The Mansion by William FaulknerThe Mansion
- The Pistol by James JonesThe Pistol
- The Poorhouse Fair by John UpdikeThe Poorhouse Fair
- The Return of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N by Leo RostenThe Return of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N
- The Third Choice by Elizabeth JanewayThe Third Choice
- The War Lover by John HerseyThe War Lover
- Wake Up, Stupid by Mark HarrisWake Up, Stupid
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- 1959 The Magic Barrel
The Magic Barrel
Bernard Malamud
- Anatomy of a Murder by Robert TraverAnatomy of a Murder
- From the Terrace by John O'HaraFrom the Terrace
- Home from the Hill by William HumphreyHome from the Hill
- Lolita by Vladimir NabokovLolita
- The Ginger Man by J. P. DonleavyThe Ginger Man
- The Lost Country by J. R. SalamancaThe Lost Country
- The Winthrop Woman by Anya SetonThe Winthrop Woman
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- 1958 The Wapshot Chronicle
The Wapshot Chronicle
John Cheever
- A Death in the Family by James AgeeA Death in the Family
- Atlas Shrugged by Ayn RandAtlas Shrugged
- By Love Possessed by James Gould CozzensBy Love Possessed
- Love Among the Cannibals by Wright MorrisLove Among the Cannibals
- Pnin by Vladimir NabokovPnin
- Something About a Soldier by Mark HarrisSomething About a Soldier
- The Assistant by Bernard MalamudThe Assistant
- The Birth of a Grandfather by May SartonThe Birth of a Grandfather
- The Return of Lady Brace by Nancy Wilson RossThe Return of Lady Brace
- The Velvet Horn by Andrew Nelson LytleThe Velvet Horn
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- 1957 The Field of Vision
The Field of Vision
Wright Morris
- A Single Pebble by John HerseyA Single Pebble
- A Walk on the Wild Side by Nelson AlgrenA Walk on the Wild Side
- Further Fables for Our Time by James ThurberFurther Fables for Our Time
- Generations of Men by John Clinton HuntGenerations of Men
- Giovanni's Room by James BaldwinGiovanni's Room
- Greenwillow by B. J. ChuteGreenwillow
- Seize the Day by Saul BellowSeize the Day
- The Last Hurrah by Edwin O'ConnorThe Last Hurrah
- The Presence of Grace by J. F. PowersThe Presence of Grace
- The Voice at the Back Door by Elizabeth SpencerThe Voice at the Back Door
- These Thousand Hills by A. B. GuthrieThese Thousand Hills
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- 1956 Ten North Frederick
Ten North Frederick
John O'Hara
- A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories by Flannery O'ConnorA Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories
- Andersonville by MacKinlay KantorAndersonville
- Band of Angels by Robert Penn WarrenBand of Angels
- Faithful Are the Wounds by May SartonFaithful Are the Wounds
- Marjorie Morningstar by Herman WoukMarjorie Morningstar
- The Black Prince, and Other Stories by Shirley Ann GrauThe Black Prince, and Other Stories
- The Bride of the Innisfallen and Other Stories by Eudora WeltyThe Bride of the Innisfallen and Other Stories
- The Spider's House by Paul BowlesThe Spider's House
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- 1955 A Fable
A Fable
William Faulkner
- Lord Grizzly by Frederick ManfredLord Grizzly
- Pictures from an Institution by Randall JarrellPictures from an Institution
- Sweet Thursday by John SteinbeckSweet Thursday
- The Bad Seed by William MarchThe Bad Seed
- The Courts of Memory by Frank RooneyThe Courts of Memory
- The Dollmaker by Harriette ArnowThe Dollmaker
- The Huge Season by Wright MorrisThe Huge Season
- The Last Hunt by Milton LottThe Last Hunt
- The Night of the Hunter by Davis GrubbThe Night of the Hunter
- The View from Pompey's Head by Hamilton BassoThe View from Pompey's Head
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- 1954
- 1953 Invisible Man
Invisible Man
Ralph Ellison
- A Shower of Summer Days by May SartonA Shower of Summer Days
- East of Eden by John SteinbeckEast of Eden
- Jefferson Selleck by Carl JonasJefferson Selleck
- Many Mansions by Isabel BoltonMany Mansions
- The Build-Up by William Carlos WilliamsThe Build-Up
- The Catherine Wheel by Jean StaffordThe Catherine Wheel
- The Gathering Darkness by Thomas GallagherThe Gathering Darkness
- The Landsmen by Peter MartinThe Landsmen
- The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest HemingwayThe Old Man and the Sea
- Winds of Morning by H. L. DavisWinds of Morning
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- 1952 From Here to Eternity
From Here to Eternity
James Jones
- Lie Down in Darkness by William StyronLie Down in Darkness
- Melville Goodwin, USA by John P. MarquandMelville Goodwin, USA
- Requiem for a Nun by William FaulknerRequiem for a Nun
- The Caine Mutiny by Herman WoukThe Caine Mutiny
- The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. SalingerThe Catcher in the Rye
- The Grass Harp by Truman CapoteThe Grass Harp
- The Holy Sinner by Thomas MannThe Holy Sinner
- The Morning Watch by James AgeeThe Morning Watch
- The Strange Children by Caroline GordonThe Strange Children
- The Witch Diggers by Jessamyn WestThe Witch Diggers
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- 1951
- 1950
