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Notable books from the National Book Awards
Read the 2022 works recognized for one of literature’s most prestigious awards.
Published on May 12, 2023
South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation
Imani PerryNonfiction Winner: Perry was born in Alabama, and while she’s spent much of her time in the North (she’s a professor of African American studies at Princeton and attended Harvard and Yale), her roots are in the Deep South, which she argues is the heart of the nation. “South to America” is a combination of an astute personal travelog and a scholarly sociological study of the South’s complicated relationship with race and more.
Breathless: The Scientific Race to Defeat a Deadly Virus
David QuammenNonfiction Finalist: The pandemic changed the world forever, but our understanding of COVID-19 is still evolving. Quammen’s (“The Tangled Tree”) reporting is one of the most comprehensive yet, based on copious research and nearly 100 interviews with scientists and virologists. “Breathless” looks back to the virus’ start and also to a future where it continues to adapt and spread. Free of politics, this scientific deep dive is educational and engrossing.
Look at This Blue
Allison Adelle Hedge CokePoetry Finalist: Coke’s poetry reads like a creative index of California’s biodiversity, calling attention to the innumerable species and lives impacted by climate change. Coke, who’s of First Nations descent, also explores the impact of colonialism on Indigenous Californians. “Look at This Blue” is a work of celebration, recognition, and mourning.
A New Name: Septology VI-VII
Jon FosseFinalist for Translated Literature (translated from Norwegian): Fosse concludes his “Septology” series (after “The Other Name” and “I is Another”) about two versions of the same Norwegian artist, one dedicated to religion and the other to alcoholism. In the final installment, we see Asle conclude his painting before joining his friends, Asleik and Guro, for Christmas. “A New Name” reveals Asle’s final meditations on finding one's identity through art and faith.
Jawbone
Mónica OjedaFinalist for Translated Literature (translated from Spanish): Teens from an all-girls school participate in macabre dares in honor of a false deity. Meanwhile, their disturbed literature teacher slips slowly into madness, eventually turning on one of her students. Ojeda uses darkly visceral imagery to describe adolescence, transforming the girls’ coming of age into a true horror story. “Jawbone” is reminiscent of Lovecraft and Poe, with storylines born of creepypastas (internet legends).
Scattered All Over the Earth
Yoko TawadaFinalist for Translated Literature (translated from Japanese): Tawada’s trilogy opener is set in a speculative world where Japan has disappeared. Hiruko, a Japanese refugee, embarks on a European pilgrimage with a colorful band of friends all in search of something important to their identity. For Hiruko, that means another person who still remembers the Japanese language. Tawada is on a roll: Her 2018 novel, “The Emissary,” won the National Book Award for Translated Literature.
The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School
Sonora ReyesFinalist for Young People’s Literature: Reyes’ touching story of coming into one’s own follows Yamilet “Yami” Flores, a Mexican American teenager recently enrolled in a predominantly white Catholic school. Still reeling from being outed by her ex-best friend, Yami is determined to keep her sexuality a secret from her new peers — and her mother. But her resolve wavers after meeting Bo, a pretty, smart, and openly gay classmate. “The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School” teaches us how to embrace our truth and celebrate our identities.