Each year, writers and book lovers alike look forward to the unveiling of the National Book Awards winners, presented by the National Book Foundation.
This year was no different, as 2022 was a big year for books. The award finalists were revealed in October—five finalists in each category—before the winners were announced in a live awards ceremony on November 16, hosted by New York Times bestselling author and producer of Hulu’s celebrated docuseries Taste the Nation, Padma Lakshmi.
Reading has always been an act of rebellion, as more and more state representative hopefuls have made book banning a popular political platform. Host Padma Lakshmi took the time to address this, saying:
“The main books targeted discussed LGBTQ+ themes or characters, have protagonists of color, address issues of race and racism, or all three…this rise in book banning isn’t simply from a few concerned parents. It’s a massive censorship campaign from organizations working with state and local officials to restrict access to books, and it coincides with the passage of the parental rights in education law in Florida or the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law.”
Considering that a number of the finalists and winners for the 2022 National Book Awards fall under one or more of these categories, Lakshmi’s words could not have been more prescient.
Despite the looming fear of censorship, the 2022 National Book Awards winners can find some solace in their prizes. Each winner receives a bronze award sculpture and $10,000, while each finalist is awarded a medal and $1,000. In the Translated Literature category, the author and translator receive an equal split of the prize money.
These are each of the 2022 National Book Awards winners and finalists in each category.
Fiction — The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty
This year’s National Book Award for Fiction went to The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty. The Rabbit Hutch follows a ragtag group of young neighbors as they live together in a dilapidated apartment complex bearing the same name as the novel. This is Gunty’s debut novel, so the book world is expecting big things from the author in the future.
2022 National Book Awards [Fiction] Finalists:
- The Birdcatcher by Gayl Jones
- The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories by Jamil Jan Kochai
- All This Could Be Different by Sharah Thankam Mathews
- The Town of Babylon by Alejandro Varela
Judged by: Ben Fountain, Pam Houston, Brandon Hobson, Dana Johnson, Michelle Malonzo
Nonfiction — South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation by Imani Perry
Both heavily researched and deeply personal, Imani Perry’s South to America is a detailed account of the author’s lived experiences in the deep American South and the events that led to the day-to-day life of those living there now.
2022 National Book Awards [Nonfiction] Finalists:
- The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness by Meghan O’Rourke
- Breathless: The Scientific Race to Defeat a Deadly Virus by David Quammen
- The Man Who Could Move Clouds: A Memoir by Ingrid Rojas Contreras
- His Name Is George Floyd: One Man’s Life and the Struggle for Racial Injustice by Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa
Judged by: Melissa Febos, Thor Hanson, Carol Anderson, Oscar Villalon, Janet Webster Jones
Poetry — Punks: New & Selected Poems by John Keene
Named a MacArthur Fellow in 2018, John Keene’s Punks is a huge selection of the poet’s works over the last few decades. As the poet skillfully weaves tales of loved ones and heroes, Punks is unapologetically heartfelt, tragic, and triumphant all at once. Moreso, Punks is heralded as some of Keene’s greatest works to date.
2022 National Book Awards [Poetry] Finalists:
- Look at This Blue by Allison Adelle Hedge Coke
- Balladz by Sharon Olds
- Best Barbarian by Roger Reeves
- The Rupture Tense by Jenny Xie
Judged by: Mai Der Vang, Keetje Kuipers, Kwame Dawes, January Gill O’Neil, Juan Felipe Herrera
Translated Literature — Seven Empty Houses by Samantha Schweblin, translated by Megan McDowell
Seven Empty Houses was first published in Spanish in 2015. A collection of seven stories, Schweblin explores the deep and unmitigated horrors that lie in the secrets of a domestic household. Megan McDowell is an experienced Spanish to English translator that currently lives in Chile, and her skillful translation of Seven Empty Houses keeps each tale intact, as nothing is lost during the translation.
2022 National Book Awards [Translated Literature] Finalists:
- A New Name: Septology VI-VII by Jon Fosse, translated by Damion Searls
- Kibogo by Scholastique Mukasonga, translated by Mark Polizzotti
- Jawbone by Mónica Ojeda, translated by Sarah Booker
- Scattered All Over the Earth by Yoko Tawada, translated by Margaret Mitsutani
Judged by: Nick Buzanski, Veronica Esposito, Ann Goldstein, Rohan Kamicheril, Russell Scott Valentino
Young People’s Literature — All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
Sabaa Tahir has experience with success, as their An Ember in the Ashes series is one of the most successful YA series in recent years. All My Rage is a change of pace from the author’s experience with YA science fiction, and a welcome one. The novel follows a group of young Pakistani immigrants and their experiences starting new lives in the United States, pulling no punches when it comes to dealing with the harsh realities many young people face in a new country.
2022 National Book Awards [Young People’s Literature] Finalists:
- The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill
- The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes
- Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice by Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile
- Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee
Judged by: Becky Albertalli, Joseph Bruchac, Megan Dietsche Goel, Jewel Parker Rhodes, Lilliam Rivera
