Who Won the Major 2024 Book Awards?

Let's Take a Look at the 2024 Book Awards

Book Prizes are not the final say on which books are best, or which books will stand the test of time. They are, however, a fun way to celebrate writers, as well as great tools of discovery. Let's take a look at which books caught the attention of a few major (and a few more niche) book prizes.  I'm going to focus on adult fiction, but know that many of these prizes recognize nonfiction, young adult fiction, children's fiction, translated works, and more. For brevity, we will be looking at each prize's shortlist, but most prizes first release a longlist which you can look into for even more book exploration! 

If something catches your fancy, feel free to put the book on hold through our catalogue. I've included links when possible. Don't forget to check Palace and Libby for Ebooks and Audiobooks. If you're interested in a book we don't yet have in our collection, come on in to fill out a book request slip. 

The National Book Awards

This prize recognizes "the best of American literature." I've heard some followers of the prize note that the judges seem to favor books written in experimental forms. You can sign up to watch music and speeches at the live ceremony for free! Watching on my laptop with a mini charcuterie board and glass of wine was a highlight of my fall. 

Winner:

• James by Percival Everett -- One of the biggest hits of the year, this darkly humorous and humane book gives voice to "Jim" from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Shortlist:

• Ghostroot by Pemi Aguda -- A haunted, slightly magical short story collection set in Lagos, Nigeria
• My Friends by Hisham Matar -- An aching story of friendship and exile that takes place during the Arab Springs
• Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar  -- A delightfully bizarre and experimental story of an Iranian American in addiction recovery who travels across the country to meet a terminally ill artist, a woman electing to spend her last weeks displaying herself in an art gallery
• All Fours by Miranda July --A cult hit, this story portrays the midlife reinvention of an artist who, 20 minutes into a cross-country drive, pulls over to instead nest herself inside a motel

The Booker Prize

This prize recognizes literature written in English and published in the UK or Ireland. This prize has many fans and followers--try searching "reading the entire Booker Prize longlist" on YouTube to find some of its most devoted readers. 

Winner:

• Orbital by Samantha Harvey -- A short, poetic, and reflective account of a group of astronauts orbiting the Earth several times in a 24-hour period

Shortlist:

• Held by Anne Michaels --With a light, language-focused touch, this tale spans four generations, following artists, soldiers, ghost photographers and more
• Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner --A piece of climate-noir, this philosophical story follows a spy's infiltration of an eco-activist commune
• James by Percival Everett -- One of the biggest hits of the year, this darkly humorous and humane book gives voice to "Jim" from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
• The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden -- Beginning as a 1960s tale of sapphic desire and obsession, this tale unfolds its mysteries to reveal something more dark and profound
• Stoneyard Devotional by Charlotte Wood -- The quiet, beautifully observed story of an Australian woman who--as a nonreligious person--hides herself in a remote nunnery. A stunning tale of grief and forgiveness. 

*Bonus! If you'd like to experience translated fiction from all around the world, be sure to check out the International Booker Prize!

The Women's Prize

This prize "bring(s) people together through a shared passion for books written by women." This prize is available to UK publications written in English by women-identified people of any nation. 

Winner: 

• Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshananthan -- The story of a woman and would-be doctor living through the civil war in Sri Lanka, as her loved ones get swept up in political ideologies. An exploration of violence, medicine, and love. 

Shortlist: 

• The Wren, The Wren by Anne Enright -- The tale of an Irish girl living in the shadow of her famous--but brutal--poet grandfather
• Restless Dolly Maunder by Kate Grenville -- A historical tale of Dolly--born at the end of the 19th century--carving a life of independence for herself
• Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad -- The story of a Palestinian actress returning home to take part in a production of Hamlet in the West Bank
• Soldier Sailor by Claire Kilroy -- A feverish and exacting account of the intensity and crisis of early motherhood
• River East, River West by Aube Rey Lescure -- Written in dual-perspective, we hear from both 14-year-old Alva and her rich landlord stepfather, who she resents. An exploration of family, race, and capitalism in China 

*Bonus! Check out the Carol Shields Prize--a prize awarded to women and non-binary writers in the United States and Canada. In 2024, these two prizes shared the same winner!

The Hugo Awards

This prize awards Science Fiction and Fantasy books. Rather than a small panel of judges, this award is chosen by readers who attend the World Science Fiction Convention.

Winner: 

• Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh -- Kyr, raised to take revenge for the killing of Earth, discovers the universe is far more complicated than she was led to believe

Shortlist: 

• The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera -- This fantasy combines epic, doomed destinies with the mundanities of modern life. Read for mysterious portals and junk email alike 
• The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty-- A fearsome but retired pirate must leave her daughter behind to take on one last quest 
• Starter Villain by John Scalzi-- A divorced substitute teacher and cat-dad reluctantly inherits his uncle's supervillain business
• Translation State by Ann Leckie -- A translator goes missing, changing the course of three lives, in this book that is part mystery, part space romp 
• Witch King by Martha Wells -- Kai, the Witch King, wakes up to find he's been assassinated. He sets off to discover why, how, and what to do about it

*Bonus! The Nebula Award is another big Science Fiction and Fantasy prize. This one is voted on by authors in those genres--you only need to earn $100 from a piece of writing to qualify!

A Few More...

The above is just a tiny sampling. You can find interesting awards no matter your reading taste. I'll link to a few more below. Dive in to join a community of people who love the kinds of books you love. 

• Mystery: Edgar Awards
• Horror: Bram Stoker Awards
• Romance: The Diamond Heart Award
• Debut Novels: PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel
• Short Story Collections: The Story Prize
• LGBTQ+: The Lambda Literary Awards

The Ursula K Le Guin Prize 

I'll end with my favorite prize. This one is a bit more niche, and proof that the prize most suited to your tastes might not be one of the big flashy prizes. Named for my favorite author, the Ursula K Le Guin Prize awards "imaginative fiction," a description that includes literary, fabulist, science fiction, fantasy, and the many strange genre-agnostic books published every year. This prize is intended for works that capture values found in Le Guin's work: "hope, equity, and freedom; non-violence and alternatives to conflict; and a holistic view of humanity’s place in the natural world." 

Here are the absolutely fabulous winners from the last 3 years: 

2024: It Lasts Forever and Then its Over by Anne De Marcken - A gorgeous literary zombie novella (really!) about grief, compassion and shared survival

2023: Arboreality by Rebecca Campbell - These interlinked short stories from near-future climate collapse bring a gentle, deep realism to our potential future challenges

2022: The House of Rust by Khadija Abdalla Bajaber  - A wise folkloric tale following young Aisha as she sets out in a boat made of bones to save her fisherman father. This book also won the Graywolf Press African Fiction Prize