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Award Winners
Man Booker Prize
The Man Booker Prize "promotes the finest in fiction by rewarding the very best book of the year." For a complete list of Man Booker recipients, visit the Man Booker Prize website.
2009 Recipent
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Wolf Hall
by Hilary Mantel
National Book Award
Awarded annually by the National Book Foundation, the National Book Award is given to recognize outstanding achievement in four genres: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and young people's literature. For a list of past winners and nominees, visit the National Book Award website.
2009 Award Recipients
Fiction:
Let the Great World Spin
by Colum McCannPoetry:
Transcendental Studies: A Trilogy
by Keith Waldrop
2009 Fiction & Poetry Award Finalists
- American Salvage, by Bonnie Jo Campbell
- In Other Rooms, Other Wonders, by Daniyal Mueenuddin
- Lark and Termite, by Jayne Anne Phillips
- Far North, by Marcel Theroux
- Versed, by Rae Armantrout
- Or to Begin Again, by Ann Lauterbach
- Speak Low, by Carl Phillips
- Open Interval, by Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon
National Book Critics Circle Award
Recognizing "the finest books and reviews published in English", The National Book Critics Circle Awards are given annually in six categories: fiction, general nonfiction, biography, autobiography, poetry, and criticism. For a list of past winners and nominees, visit the National Book Award website.
2008 Award Recipients
Fiction:
2666
by Robert BolañoPoetry:
Half the World in Light: New and Selected Poems
by Juan Felipe HerreraPoetry:
Sleeping It Off in Rapid City
by August Kleinzahler
2009 Fiction & Poetry Award Finalists
- Fiction
- American Salvage, by Bonnie Jo Campbell
- The Book of Night Women, by Marlon James
- Blame, by Michelle Huneven
- Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel
- Lark and Termite, by Jayne Anne Phillips
- Poetry
- Versed, by Rae Armantrout
- A Village Life, by Louise Glück
- Chronic, by D.A. Powell
- Captive Voices: New and Selected Poems, 1960-2008, by Eleanor Ross Taylor
- Museum of Accidents, by Rachel Zucker
PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction
Awarded annually by the PEN/Faulkner Foundation, this award "honors the best published works of fiction by American citizens in a calendar year." For a complete list of all PEN/Faulkner winners and finalists, visit the PEN/Faulkner Foundation website.
2009 Award Winner
Netherland
by Joseph O'Neill
2010 Award Finalists
- War Dances, by Sherman Alexie
- The Lacuna, by Barbara Kingsolver
- Homicide Survivors Picnic and Other Stories, by Lorraine M. Lopez
- A Gate at the Stairs, by Lorrie Moore
- Sag Harbor, by Colson Whitehead
Pultizer Prize
Awarded annually in five categories for books (fiction, general nonfiction, history, biography/autobiography, and poetry), the Pulitzer Prize recognizes the best in letters and is considered by many the most prestigious award an author may receive. For a complete list of all Pulitzer Prize winners and finalists, visit the Pulitzer Prize website.
2009 Award Winners
Fiction:
Olive Kitteridge
by Elizabeth StroutPoetry:
The Shadow of Sirius
by W.S. Merwin
2009 Fiction & Poetry Award Finalists
- The Plague of Doves, by Louise Erdrich
- All Souls, by Christine Schutt
- Watching the Spring Festival, by Frank Bidart
- What Love Comes To: New & Selected Poems, by Ruth Stone
National Book Award
Awarded annually by the National Book Foundation, the National Book Award is given to recognize outstanding achievement in four genres: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and young people's literature. For a list of past winners and nominees, visit the National Book Award website.
2009 Award Recipient
The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt
by T. J. Stiles
2009 Award Finalists
- Following the Water: A Hydromancer's Notebook , by David M. Carroll
- Remarkable Creatures: Epic Adventures in the Search for the Origins of Species , by Sean B. Carroll
- Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City, by Greg Grandin
- The Poison King: The Life and Legend of Mithradates, Rome's Deadliest Enemy, by Adrienne Mayor
National Book Critics Circle Award
Recognizing "the finest books and reviews published in English", The National Book Critics Circle Awards are given annually in six categories: fiction, general nonfiction, biography, autobiography, poetry, and criticism. For a list of past winners and nominees, visit the National Book Award website.
2008 Award Recipients
Nonfiction:
The Forever War
by Dexter FilkinsBiography:
The World Is What It Is: The Authorized Biography of V.S. Naipaul
by Patrick FrenchAutobiography:
My Father's Paradise: A Son's Search for His Jewish Past in Kurdish Iraq
by Ariel SabarCriticism:
Children's Literature: A Reader's History from Aesop to Harry Potter
by Seth Lerer
2009 Non-fiction, Biography, Autobiography & Criticism Award Finalists
- Non-fiction
- The Hindus: An Alternative History, by Wendy Doniger
- Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City, by Greg Grandin
- The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science, by Richard Holmes
- Strength in What Remains, by Tracy Kidder
- Imperial, by William T. Vollmann
- Biography
- Cheever: A Life, by Blake Bailey
- Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor, by Brad Gooch
- Why This World: A Biography of Clarice Lispector, by Benjamin Moser
- Bitter Spring: A Life of Ignazio Silone, by Stanislao G. Pugliese
- Passing Strange: A Gilded Age Tale of Love and Deception Across the Color Line, by Martha A. Sandweiss
- Autobiography
- Somewhere Towards the End, by Diana Athill
- Live Through This: A Mother's Memoir of Runaway Daughters and Reclaimed Love, by Debra Gwartney
- Lit, by Mary Karr
- Enemies of the People: My Family's Journey to America, by Kati Marton
- City Boy, by Edmund White
- Criticism
- Notes From No Man's Land: American Essays, by Eula Biss
- Close Calls with Nonsense: Reading New Poetry, by Stephen Burt
- Dancing in the Dark: A Cultural History of the Great Depression, by Morris Dickstein
- Heroes and Villains: Essays on Music, Movies, Comics, and Culture, by David Hajdu
- Perfecting Sound Forever: An Aural History of Recorded Music, by Greg Milner
Pultizer Prize
Awarded annually in five categories for books (fiction, general nonfiction, history, biography/autobiography, and poetry), the Pulitzer Prize recognizes the best in letters and is considered by many the most prestigious award an author may receive. For a complete list of all Pulitzer Prize winners and finalists, visit the Pulitzer Prize website.
2009 Award Winners
General nonfiction:
Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II
by Douglas A. BlackmonHistory:
The Hemingses of Monticello : an American family
by Annette Gordon-ReedBiography/Autobiography:
American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House
by Jon Meacham
2009 Non-fiction, History & Biography/Autobiography Award Finalists
- Gandhi and Churchill: The Epic Rivalry That Destroyed an Empire and Forged Our Age, by Arthur Herman
- The Bitter Road to Freedom: A New History of the Liberation of Europe, by William I. Hitchcock
- This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War, by Drew Gilpin Faust
- The Liberal Hour: Washington and the Politics of Change in the 1960s, by G.Calvin MacKenzie and Robert Weisbrot
- Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, by H.W. Brands
- The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in an American Century, by Steve Coll
Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award
The Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award began 1998 to encourage reading for students in Grades K-3. The award was established to encourage reading for students in Grades K-3. Like the Charlie May Simon Awards, the award is selected by an annual vote. Children in Grades K-3 must have read at least three of the titles from the annual reading list and select one title. For a complete list of all Arkansas Diamond winners, visit the Arkansas State Library website.
2008-2009 Awards
Winner:
Move Over, Rover
by Karen BeaumontHonor Book:
Library Lion
by Michelle Knudsen
Charlie Simon Award
The Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award for children's literature has been presented annually since 1971 to an author whose book has been selected through a vote taken by Arkansas school children in grades four, five and six. The purpose of the award is to promote better reading for children and to recognize Mrs. John Gould Fletcher, an outstanding Arkansas author who wrote under the pen name Charlie May Simon. For a complete list of all Charlie Simon Award winners, visit the Arkansas State Library website.
2008-2009 Awards
Winner:
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
by Kate DiCamilloHonor Book:
One-handed Catch
by MJ Auch
Pura Belpré Award
Awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, and by REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking, the Pura Belpré Award is given to the "Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth". For a complete list of all Belpré winners and honor books, visit the ALSC website.
2010 Award Winners
Author:
Return to Sender
by Julia AlvarezIllustrator:
Book Fiesta! / Celebremos El día de los niños
illustrated by Rafael López
2010 Author & Illustrator Honor Books
- Diego: Bigger Than Life, illustrated by David Diaz, written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
- Federico García Lorca, illustrated by Enrique S. Moreiro, written by Georgina Lázaro
- My Abuelita, illustrated by Yuyi Morales, written by Tony Johnston
- Gracias Thanks, illustrated by John Parra, written by Pat Mora
Caldecott Medal
Awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, the Caldecott Medal is given to "the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published in English in the United States during the preceding year." For a complete list of all Caldecott winners and honor books, visit the ALSC website.
2010 Award Winner
The Lion & the Mouse
written and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
2010 Honor Books
- All the World, illustrated by Marla Frazee, written by Liz Garton Scanlon
- Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Joyce Sidman
Geisel Award
Named in honor of Theoder Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, the Geisel Award is given annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to "the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year". For a complete list of all Geisel winners and honor books, visit the ALSC website.
2010 Award Winner
Benny and Penny in the Big No-No!
written and illustrated by Geoffrey Hayes
2010 Honor Books
- I Spy Fly Guy!, written and illustrated by Tedd Arnold
- Little Mouse Gets Ready, written and illustrated by Jeff Smith
- Mouse and Mole: Fine Feathered Friends, written and illustrated by Wong Herbert Yee
- Pearl and Wagner: One Funny Day, written by Kate McMullan, illustrated by R. W. Alley
Coretta Scott King Award
Awarded annually by the American Library Association, the King Award is given to "African American authors and illustrators for outstanding inspirational and educational contributions". For a complete list of all King Award winners and honor books, visit the ALA website.
2010 Award Winners
Author:
Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal
by Vaunda Micheaux NelsonIllustrator:
My People
illustrated by Charles R. Smith Jr.
written by Langston Hughes
2010 Author & Illustrator Honor Books
- Mare's War, by Tanita S. Davis
- The Negro Speaks of Rivers, illustrated by E. B. Lewis, written by Langston Hughes
National Book Award
Awarded annually by the National Book Foundation, the National Book Award is given to recognize outstanding achievement in four genres: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and young people's literature. For a list of past winners and nominees, visit the National Book Award website.
2009 Award Recipient
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
by Phillip Hoose
2009 Award Finalists
- Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith, by Deborah Heiligman
- Stitches, by David Small
- Lips Touch: Three Times, by Laini Taylor
- Jumped, by Rita Williams-Garcia
Newbery Medal
Awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, the Newbery Medal is given to "the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." For a complete list of all Newbery winners and honor books, visit the ALSC website.
2009 Award Winner
When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead
2009 Honor Books
- Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice, by Phillip Hoose
- The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, by Jacqueline Kelly
- Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, by Grace Lin
- The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg, by Rodman Philbrick
Sibert Medal
Awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, the Sibert Medal is given to "author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished book published in English during the preceding year". For a complete list of all Sibert winners and honor books, visit the ALSC website.
2009 Award Winner
Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream
by Tanya Lee Stone
2009 Honor Books
- The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors, written by Chris Barton, illustrated by Tony Persiani
- Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11, by Brian Floca
- Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice, by Phillip Hoose
Audie Awards
The only award in the United States devoted exclusively to recognizing excellence in audiobooks, the Audie is given annually by the Audio Publishers Association. For a complete list of winners, visit the Audio Publishers Association website.
2009 Audiobook of the Year
Hot, Flat and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution—and How It Can Renew America
by Thomas Friedman
2009 Audiobook of the Year Nominees
- Descent into Chaos, by Ahmed Rashid
- Mike's Election Guide, by Michael Moore
- The War Within, by Bob Woodward
- The Way of the World, by Ron Suskind
Edgar Awards
Named in honor of Edgar Allan Poe, the Edgar is given by the Mystery Writers of America in recognition of excellence in mystery fiction and nonfiction. For a complete list of Edgar winners and nominees, visit the Edgar Awards website.
2009 Award Winners
Novel:
Blue Heaven
by C.J. BoxFirst Novel by an American Author:
The Foreigner
by Francie LinFact Crime:
American Lightning: Terror, Mystery and the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century
by Howard Blum
2010 Novel, First Novel & Fact Crime Award Nominees
- Best Novel
- The Missing, by Tim Gautreaux
- The Odds, by Kathleen George
- The Last Child, by John Hart
- Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death, by Charlie Huston
- Nemesis, by Jo Nesbø
- A Beautiful Place to Die, by Malla Nunn
- Best First Novel
- The Girl She Used to Be, by David Cristofano
- Starvation Lake, by Bryan Gruley
- The Weight of Silence, by Heather Gudenkauf
- A Bad Day for Sorry, by Sophie Littlefield
- Black Water Rising, by Attica Locke
- In the Shadow of Gotham, by Stefanie Pintoff
- Best Fact Crime
- Columbine, by Dave Cullen
- Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde, by Jeff Guinn
- The Fence: A Police Cover-Up Along Boston's Racial Divide, by Dick Lehr
- Provenance: How a Con Man and a Forger Rewrote the History of Modern Art, by Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo
- Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa, by R.A. Scotti
The Hugo Awards
Given by the members of the World Science Fiction Society, the Hugo Awards recognize excellence in the genre of science fiction and fantasy. For a complete list of past winners and nominees, visit the Hugo Awards website.
2009 Best Novel
The Graveyard Book
by Neil Gaiman
2009 Best Novel Nominees
- Anathem, by Neal Stephenson
- Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow
- Saturn's Children, by Charles Stross
- Zoe's Tale, by John Scalzi
James Beard Foundation
The James Beard annually recognizes the best in cookbook writing, illustration, and publishing, including the Cookbook of the Year. For a list of all winners this year, visit the James Beard Foundation Awards website.
2009 Cookbook of the Year
Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, With Recipes
by Jennifer McLagan
Nebula Awards
Presented annually by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the Nebula Awards "celebrate excellence in science fiction and fantasy writing". For a complete list of past winners and nominees, visit the Nebula Awards website.
2008 Best Novel Winner
Powers, by Ursula K. Le Guin
2008 Best Novel Nominees
- Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow
- Cauldron, by Jack McDevitt
- Brasyl, by Ian McDonald
- Making Money: A Novel of Discworld, by Terry Pratchett
- Superpowers, by David J. Schwartz
Spur Awards
Given annually by the Western Writers of America, the Spur Awards recognize "distinguished writing about the American West". For a complete list of past winners and nominees, visit the Western Writers of America website.
2009 Winners
Long Novel:
Shavetail: A Novel
by Thomas CobbBiography:
Frontiersman: Daniel Boone and the Making of America
by Meredith Mason BrownNonfiction Historical:
Hunting the American West: The Pursuit of Big Game for Life, Profit, and Sport, 1800-1900
by Richard C. Rattenbury
2009 Long Novel, Biography & Nonfiction Historical Nominees
- The Trespassers, by Andrew J. Fenady
- I, Quantrill, by Max McCoy
- A Passion for Nature: The Life of John Muir, by Donald Worster
- Horses That Buck: The Story of Champion Bronc Rider Bill Smith, by Margot Kahn
- Frontier Medicine: From the Atlantic to the Pacific, 1492 - 1941, by David Dary
- A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn — The Last Great Battle of the American West, by James Donovan