National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction

1. 2025
   We Do Not Part Han Kang

   

   Winner

   We Do Not Part

   Han Kang

   Translated by e. yaewon and Paige Aniyah Morris

   The other finalists

   • Audition Katie Kitamura

     
     Audition by Katie Kitamura
   • On the Calculation of Volume III Solvej Balle

     
     On the Calculation of Volume III by Solvej Balle
   • The Antidote Karen Russell

     
     The Antidote by Karen Russell
   • The Wilderness Angela Flournoy

     
     The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy

   All 5 books from 2025

2. 2024
   My Friends Hisham Matar

   

   Winner

   My Friends

   Hisham Matar

   The other finalists

   • Beautyland Marie-Helene Bertino

     
     Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino
   • Godwin Joseph O’Neill

     
     Godwin by Joseph O’Neill
   • James Percival Everett

     
     James by Percival Everett
   • Us Fools Nora Lange

     
     Us Fools by Nora Lange

   All 5 books from 2024

3. 2023
   I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home Lorrie Moore

   

   Winner

   I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home

   Lorrie Moore

   The other finalists

   • Blackouts Justin Torres

     
     Blackouts by Justin Torres
   • North Woods Daniel Mason

     
     North Woods by Daniel Mason
   • Tremor Teju Cole

     
     Tremor by Teju Cole
   • Vengeance Is Mine Marie NDiaye

     
     Vengeance Is Mine by Marie NDiaye

   All 5 books from 2023

4. 2022
   Bliss Montage Ling Ma

   

   Winner

   Bliss Montage

   Ling Ma

   The other finalists

   • All the Lovers in the Night Mieko Kawakami

     
     All the Lovers in the Night by Mieko Kawakami
   • Dr. No Percival Everett

     
     Dr. No by Percival Everett
   • The Furrows Namwali Serpell

     
     The Furrows by Namwali Serpell
   • A New Name Jon Fosse
     A New Name by Jon Fosse

   All 5 books from 2022

5. 2021
   The Love Songs of W. E. B. Du Bois Honorée Fanonne Jeffers

   

   Winner

   The Love Songs of W. E. B. Du Bois

   Honorée Fanonne Jeffers

   The other finalists

   • Burntcoat Sarah Hall

     
     Burntcoat by Sarah Hall
   • Harlem Shuffle Colson Whitehead

     
     Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
   • Second Place Rachel Cusk

     
     Second Place by Rachel Cusk
   • The Netanyahus Joshua Cohen

     
     The Netanyahus by Joshua Cohen

   All 5 books from 2021

6. 2020
   Hamnet Maggie O’Farrell

   

   Winner

   Hamnet

   Maggie O’Farrell

   The other finalists

   • How to Pronounce Knife Souvankham Thammavongsa

     
     How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa
   • If I Had Two Wings Randall Kenan

     
     If I Had Two Wings by Randall Kenan
   • Inside Story Martin Amis

     
     Inside Story by Martin Amis
   • Memorial Bryan Washington

     
     Memorial by Bryan Washington

   All 5 books from 2020

7. 2019
   Everything Inside Edwidge Danticat

   

   Winner

   Everything Inside

   Edwidge Danticat

   The other finalists

   • Feast Your Eyes Myla Goldberg

     
     Feast Your Eyes by Myla Goldberg
   • Lost Children Archive Valeria Luiselli

     
     Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli
   • The Nickel Boys Colson Whitehead

     
     The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
   • The Topeka School Ben Lerner

     
     The Topeka School by Ben Lerner

   All 5 books from 2019

8. 2018
   Milkman Anna Burns

   

   Winner

   Milkman

   Anna Burns

   The other finalists

   • Slave Old Man Patrick Chamoiseau

     
     Slave Old Man by Patrick Chamoiseau
   • The House of Broken Angels Luis Alberto Urrea

     
     The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea
   • The Mars Room Rachel Kushner

     
     The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
   • The Largesse of the Sea Maiden Denis Johnson
     The Largesse of the Sea Maiden by Denis Johnson

   All 5 books from 2018

9. 2017
   Improvement Joan Silber

   

   Winner

   Improvement

   Joan Silber

   The other finalists

   • Exit West Mohsin Hamid

     
     Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
   • Sing, Unburied, Sing Jesmyn Ward

     
     Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
   • The Ministry of Utmost Happiness Arundhati Roy

     
     The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy
   • The Ninth Hour Alice McDermott

     
     The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott

   All 5 books from 2017

10. 2016
    LaRose Louise Erdrich

    

    Winner

    LaRose

    Louise Erdrich

    The other finalists

    • Commonwealth Ann Patchett

      
      Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
    • Imagine Me Gone Adam Haslett

      
      Imagine Me Gone by Adam Haslett
    • Moonglow Michael Chabon

      
      Moonglow by Michael Chabon
    • Swing Time Zadie Smith

      
      Swing Time by Zadie Smith

    All 5 books from 2016

11. 2015
    The Sellout Paul Beatty

    

    Winner

    The Sellout

    Paul Beatty

    The other finalists

    • Eileen Ottessa Moshfegh

      
      Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
    • Fates and Furies Lauren Groff

      
      Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
    • The Tsar of Love and Techno Anthony Marra

      
      The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Marra
    • The Story of My Teeth Valeria Luiselli
      The Story of My Teeth by Valeria Luiselli

    All 5 books from 2015

12. 2014
    Lila Marilynne Robinson

    

    Winner

    Lila

    Marilynne Robinson

    The other finalists

    • A Brief History of Seven Killings Marlon James

      
      A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James
    • An Unnecessary Woman Rabih Alameddine

      
      An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine
    • On Such a Full Sea Chang-rae Lee

      
      On Such a Full Sea by Chang-rae Lee
    • Euphoria Lily King
      Euphoria by Lily King

    All 5 books from 2014

13. 2013
    Americanah Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

    

    Winner

    Americanah

    Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

    The other finalists

    • A Tale for the Time Being Ruth Ozeki

      
      A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
    • Someone Alice McDermott

      
      Someone by Alice McDermott
    • The Goldfinch Donna Tartt

      
      The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
    • The Infatuations Javier Marías
      The Infatuations by Javier Marías

    All 5 books from 2013

14. 2012
    Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk Ben Fountain

    

    Winner

    Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk

    Ben Fountain

    The other finalists

    • HHhH Laurent Binet

      
      HHhH by Laurent Binet
    • Magnificence Lydia Millet

      
      Magnificence by Lydia Millet
    • NW Zadie Smith

      
      NW by Zadie Smith
    • The Orphan Master’s Son Adam Johnson

      
      The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson

    All 5 books from 2012

15. 2011
    Binocular Vision Edith Pearlman

    

    Winner

    Binocular Vision

    Edith Pearlman

    The other finalists

    • Open City Teju Cole

      
      Open City by Teju Cole
    • Stone Arabia Dana Spiotta

      
      Stone Arabia by Dana Spiotta
    • The Marriage Plot Jeffrey Eugenides

      
      The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
    • The Stranger’s Child Alan Hollinghurst

      
      The Stranger’s Child by Alan Hollinghurst

    All 5 books from 2011

16. 2010
    A Visit from the Goon Squad Jennifer Egan

    

    Winner

    A Visit from the Goon Squad

    Jennifer Egan

    The other finalists

    • Skippy Dies Paul Murray

      
      Skippy Dies by Paul Murray
    • Comedy in a Minor Key Hans Keilson
      Comedy in a Minor Key by Hans Keilson
    • Freedom Jonathan Franzen
      Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
    • To the End of the Land David Grossman
      To the End of the Land by David Grossman

    All 5 books from 2010

17. 2009
    Wolf Hall Hilary Mantel

    

    Wolf Hall

    Hilary Mantel

    The other finalists: American Salvage; Blame; Lark and Termite; The Book of Night Women.

    All 5 books from 2009

18. 2008
    2666 Roberto Bolaño

    

    2666

    Roberto Bolaño

    Translated by Natasha Wimmer

    The other finalists: Home; Olive Kitteridge; The Ballad of Trenchmouth Taggart; The Lazarus Project.

    All 5 books from 2008

19. 2007
    The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Junot Díaz

    

    The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

    Junot Díaz

    The other finalists: In the Country of Men; Sacred Games; The Gravedigger’s Daughter; The Shadow Catcher.

    All 5 books from 2007

20. 2006
    The Inheritance of Loss Kiran Desai

    

    The Inheritance of Loss

    Kiran Desai

21. 2005
    The March E. L. Doctorow

    

    The March

    E. L. Doctorow

22. 2004
    Gilead Marilynne Robinson

    

    Gilead

    Marilynne Robinson

23. 2003
    The Known World Edward P. Jones

    

    The Known World

    Edward P. Jones

24. 2002
    Atonement Ian McEwan

    

    Atonement

    Ian McEwan

25. 2001
    Austerlitz W. G. Sebald

    Austerlitz

    W. G. Sebald

    Translated by Anthea Bell

26. 2000
    Being Dead Jim Crace

    Being Dead

    Jim Crace

    The other finalists: A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You; Assorted Fire Events; The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay; White Teeth.

    All 5 books from 2000

27. 1999
    Motherless Brooklyn Jonathan Lethem

    Motherless Brooklyn

    Jonathan Lethem

    The other finalists: Disgrace; Midnight Champagne; The Night Inspector; Wonders of the Invisible World.

    All 5 books from 1999

28. 1998
    The Love of a Good Woman Alice Munro

    The Love of a Good Woman

    Alice Munro

    The other finalists: Birds of America; No Lease on Life; Preston Falls; The Hours.

    All 5 books from 1998

29. 1997
    The Blue Flower Penelope Fitzgerald

    The Blue Flower

    Penelope Fitzgerald

    The other finalists: American Pastoral; Cold Mountain; Dreams of My Russian Summers; Underworld.

    All 5 books from 1997

30. 1996
    Women in Their Beds Gina Berriault

    Women in Their Beds

    Gina Berriault

    The other finalists: About Schmidt; Dancing After Hours; From Bondage; The Autobiography of My Mother.

    All 5 books from 1996

31. 1995
    Mrs. Ted Bliss Stanley Elkin

    Mrs. Ted Bliss

    Stanley Elkin

    The other finalists: Galatea 2.2; Independence Day; Moo; The Tent of Orange Mist.

    All 5 books from 1995

32. 1994
    The Stone Diaries Carol Shields

    The Stone Diaries

    Carol Shields

    The other finalists: A Frolic of His Own; And All Our Wounds Forgiven; In the Time of the Butterflies; The Prince of West End Avenue.

    All 5 books from 1994

33. 1993
    A Lesson Before Dying Ernest J. Gaines

    A Lesson Before Dying

    Ernest J. Gaines

    The other finalists: Feather Crowns; The Jade Cabinet; The Shipping News; Vindication.

    All 5 books from 1993

34. 1992
    All the Pretty Horses Cormac McCarthy

    All the Pretty Horses

    Cormac McCarthy

    The other finalists: Black Water; Clockers; Let the Dead Bury Their Dead; Outerbridge Reach.

    All 5 books from 1992

35. 1991
    A Thousand Acres Jane Smiley

    A Thousand Acres

    Jane Smiley

    The other finalists: Mating; The Gold Bug Variations; Typical American; Wartime Lies.

    All 5 books from 1991

36. 1990
    Rabbit at Rest John Updike

    Rabbit at Rest

    John Updike

    The other finalists: Collected Stories; Family Pictures; Middle Passage; The Things They Carried.

    All 5 books from 1990

37. 1989
    Billy Bathgate E. L. Doctorow

    Billy Bathgate

    E. L. Doctorow

    The other finalists: Ordinary Love & Good Will; Spartina; The Joy Luck Club; The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love.

    All 5 books from 1989

38. 1988
    The Middleman and Other Stories Bharati Mukherjee

    The Middleman and Other Stories

    Bharati Mukherjee

    The other finalists: Libra; Paris Trout; Wheat That Springeth Green; Where I’m Calling From.

    All 5 books from 1988

39. 1987
    The Counterlife Philip Roth

    The Counterlife

    Philip Roth

    The other finalists: Beloved; Crossing to Safety; The Age of Grief; The Bonfire of the Vanities.

    All 5 books from 1987

40. 1986
    Kate Vaiden Reynolds Price

    Kate Vaiden

    Reynolds Price

    The other finalists: A Summons to Memphis; Roger’s Version; The Beet Queen; The Moon Pinnacle.

    All 5 books from 1986

41. 1985
    The Accidental Tourist Anne Tyler

    The Accidental Tourist

    Anne Tyler

    The other finalists: Lonesome Dove; The Old Forest and Other Stories; Three Farmers on Their Way to a Dance; White Noise.

    All 5 books from 1985

42. 1984
    Love Medicine Louise Erdrich

    Love Medicine

    Louise Erdrich

    The other finalists: Family Dancing; Foreign Affairs; Machine Dreams; Stones for Ibarra.

    All 5 books from 1984

43. 1983
    Ironweed William Kennedy

    Ironweed

    William Kennedy

    The other finalists: Cathedral; During the Reign of the Queen of Persia; Magnetic Field(s); The Anatomy Lesson.

    All 5 books from 1983

44. 1982
    George Mills Stanley Elkin

    George Mills

    Stanley Elkin

    The other finalists: Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant; Levitation; Shiloh and Other Stories; The Color Purple.

    All 5 books from 1982

45. 1981
    Rabbit Is Rich John Updike

    Rabbit Is Rich

    John Updike

    The other finalists: A Flag for Sunrise; Riddley Walker; Sixty Stories; The Men’s Club.

    All 5 books from 1981

46. 1980
    The Transit of Venus Shirley Hazzard

    The Transit of Venus

    Shirley Hazzard

    The other finalists: Loon Lake; Morgan’s Passing; So Long, See You Tomorrow; The Second Coming.

    All 5 books from 1980

47. 1979
    The Year of the French Thomas Flanagan

    The Year of the French

    Thomas Flanagan

    The other finalists: King of the Jews; Sleepless Nights; Sophie’s Choice; The Executioner’s Song; The Ghost Writer.

    All 6 books from 1979

48. 1978
    The Stories of John Cheever John Cheever

    The Stories of John Cheever

    John Cheever

    The other finalists: Final Payments; The Coup; The World According to Garp; Wrinkles.

    All 5 books from 1978

49. 1977
    Song of Solomon Toni Morrison

    Song of Solomon

    Toni Morrison

    The other finalists: A Book of Common Prayer; Falconer; The Professor of Desire; Union Dues.

    All 5 books from 1977

50. 1976
    October Light John Gardner

    October Light

    John Gardner

    The other finalists: Bloodshed and Three Novellas; Details of a Sunset and Other Stories; Speedboat; The Easter Parade.

    All 5 books from 1976

51. 1975
    Ragtime E. L. Doctorow

    Ragtime

    E. L. Doctorow

Earlier years list the winner only.