[NBA] National Book Award
National Book Award [NBA]
Given annually since 1950
One of three major literary awards given to American authors, the others being the Pulitzer and the PEN/Faulkner. The National Book Award has a schizophrenic personality, shifting from awarding famous authors for latter-day works (Faulkner, O’Hara, Wilder), awarding then lesser-known authors for their best work (Pynchon, DeLillo, Franzen) and, well, sort of a combination of the two (Bellow, Updike, Cheever, Roth). It is safe to say, though, that the [NBA] has a remarkable knack – better than any other annual award – for picking books that remain part of the cultural conversation for years to come. These aren’t notable books because they won, but because they are excellent fiction. Odd, but that is actually the greatest compliment you can give an award. That being said, I have not read nor heard anything about the winners of this award since The Corrections. Has anyone else?
All winners here. Works marked in RED below appear on the Master List.