National Book Award for Nonfiction 2026

The longlist includes the books that went on to the shortlist.

• A Dead White Wendy S. Walters

  A Dead White

  Wendy S. Walters
• 

  Dangerous, Dirty, Violent, and Young

  Zayd Ayers Dohrn
• Huna Abdelrahman ElGendy

  Huna

  Abdelrahman ElGendy
• Let the Poets Govern Camonghne Felix

  Let the Poets Govern

  Camonghne Felix
• Mother Tongue Sara Nović

  Mother Tongue

  Sara Nović
• 

  Seasons of Fury

  Rozina Ali
• Spawning Season Joseph Osmundson

  Spawning Season

  Joseph Osmundson
• The Evolution of Fire Angela Pelster

  The Evolution of Fire

  Angela Pelster
• The Midnight Special Colin Asher

  The Midnight Special

  Colin Asher
• The War Within a War Wil Haygood

  The War Within a War

  Wil Haygood