2025 National Book Award Winners & Nominees (Full List + Must Read Picks)

The 2025 National Book Award winners have officially been announced, and as always, this is one of the most exciting moments of the year for readers.

Every year, the National Book Awards highlight some of the best books published in the United States, and the 2025 list is no different. From powerful fiction to thought-provoking nonfiction and unforgettable poetry, this year’s winners and nominees showcase the range and depth of modern literature.

In this article, I’ll be covering the winners across each category, along with the full list of nominees and a few personal thoughts on some of the standout titles.

Major Winners of the Night

This year’s top honors went to two books that couldn’t be more different in subject matter, yet both left a significant impact.

In fiction, The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) by Rabih Alameddine took home the award.

In nonfiction, One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad won the prize.

During his acceptance speech, El Akkad delivered a powerful and emotional message that set the tone for the night. Reflecting on the subject matter of his book, he said:

“It’s very difficult to think in celebratory terms about a book that was written in response to a genocide… It is difficult to think in celebratory terms when I know that my tax money is doing this, and that many of my elected representatives happily support it.”

It was a reminder that literature doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Many of the books recognized this year engage directly with real-world issues, making them as impactful as they are compelling.

2025 National Book Award Winners & Nominees

Fiction

• Winner: The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) by Rabih Alameddine
• A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar
• The Antidote by Karen Russell
• North Sun: Or, the Voyage of the Whaleship Esther by Ethan Rutherford
• Palaver by Bryan Washington

Nonfiction

• Winner: One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad
• Motherland: A Feminist History of Modern Russia, from Revolution to Autocracy by Julia Ioffe
• Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li
• Wards of the State: The Long Shadow of American Foster Care by Claudia Rowe
• When It All Burns: Fighting Fire in a Transformed World by Jordan Thomas

Poetry

• Winner: The Intentions of Thunder: New and Selected Poems by Patricia Smith
• The New Economy by Gabrielle Calvocoressi
• Becoming Ghost by Cathy Linh Che
• Scorched Earth by Tiana Clark
• I Do Know Some Things by Richard Siken

Translated Literature

• Winner: We Are Green and Trembling by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara (translated by Robin Myers)
• On the Calculation of Volume (Book III) by Solvej Balle (translated by Sophia Hersi Smith & Jennifer Russell)
• The Remembered Soldier by Anjet Daanje (translated by David McKay)
• We Computers: A Ghazal Novel by Hamid Ismailov (translated by Shelley Fairweather-Vega)
• Sad Tiger by Neige Sinno (translated by Natasha Lehrer)

Young People’s Literature

• Winner: The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story by Daniel Nayeri
• A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff
• The Leaving Room by Amber McBride
• Truth Is by Hannah V. Sawyerr
• (S)Kin by Ibi Zoboi

The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother)

The National Book Award seal is one of the most recognizable marks in literature. For many readers, it’s something you remember seeing on books growing up, a sign that what you’re about to read is something special.

This year’s fiction winner, The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) by Rabih Alameddine, lives up to that reputation.

The novel follows the relationship between a son and his mother over the course of six decades. At its core, it’s a deeply personal story but it’s also one that feels universal.

Because how many of us can honestly say we don’t have complicated relationships with our parents?

Set partly in Lebanon, the book offers a perspective that isn’t as commonly explored in mainstream fiction. And that alone makes it stand out. But beyond the setting, it’s the emotional depth and character work that elevate it.

With hundreds of books considered each year, winning the National Book Award is no small feat. It’s a strong signal that this is a novel worth picking up.

Why the National Book Awards Matter

The National Book Awards have been around since 1950 and remain one of the most prestigious literary prizes in the United States.

They honor books published in the U.S. and have recognized some of the greatest writers of all time. Past winners include names like William Faulkner, Ralph Ellison, W.H. Auden, and more recently, Jesmyn Ward.

Last year, Percival Everett won for James, a novel that received widespread acclaim.

What makes this award special is its focus on literary excellence across multiple categories. It’s not just about bestselling books—it’s about stories that push boundaries, challenge perspectives, and leave a lasting impact.

A Book I’m Looking Forward to Reading

Out of all the nominees this year, one book that immediately caught my attention is The Antidote by Karen Russell.

I’ve been hearing a lot of great things about it, and it’s already on my to-read list.

The novel is set in the fictional town of Uz, Nebraska, a place shaped by hardship, including the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and its own troubled past.

What makes it interesting is its structure. Instead of focusing on a single protagonist, Russell weaves together the lives of multiple characters, showing how their stories intersect over time.

It’s a narrative about legacy, what each generation passes down, what gets lost, and how history continues to shape the present.

It feels like the kind of book that stays with you long after you finish it.

Final Thoughts

The 2025 National Book Award winners and nominees once again prove just how diverse and powerful literature can be.

From deeply personal stories to books that tackle global issues, this year’s list has something for every type of reader.

Personally, I always find myself adding multiple titles from these lists to my reading queue. It’s one of the easiest ways to discover books that I might not have picked up otherwise but end up loving.

And that’s really what lists like this are all about.

Finding those unexpected reads that go beyond your usual choices.

I’m definitely planning to read more of the nominees and if they’re anything like the winners, I know they’ll exceed expectations. Until next time, happy reading!

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