The National Book Foundation has announced its National Book Award longlists. The Award, among the most prestigious in American literature, has four categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry and Young People’s Literature. Nominees for this year’s fiction prize include Jane Smiley’s Some Luck, Phil Klay’s Redeployment, and Richard Powers’ Orfeo. The Nonfiction nominees include a biography of Tennessee Williams, a history of Paris during World War II, and a report on life in contemporary China. Nominees for the Young People’s Literature Prize include Carl Hiaasen and Kate Milford.
Past winners of the National Book Award include William Faulkner, William Carlos Williams, Joyce Carol Oates, Adrienne Rich, and Jonathan Franzen. The National Book Award Finalists will be announced exclusively on NPR’s Morning Edition on October 15, and the winners will be honored at the invitation-only National Book Awards Ceremony and Benefit Dinner on November 19 in New York City.
