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There are thousands of awards for books given out annually. It’s impossible to follow them all. Here are 11+ great awards for books and authors.
Check them out, they’ll give you a variety of books to read every year!
Table of Contents
Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards
The Anisfield-Wolf Book Award is awarded to books that have made important contributions to understanding racism and appreciation of the rich diversity of human cultures.
Awards are given for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and lifetime achievements. Learn more about the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards.
Anisfield-Wolf Fiction Award Winners:
| 2018 | SING, UNBURIED, SING by Jesmin Ward |
| 2017 | THE FORTUNES by Peter Ho Davies |
| 2016 | THE JAZZ PALACE by Mary Morris |
| 2015 | A BRIEF HISTORY OF SEVEN KILLINGS by Marlon James |
| 2014 | A CONSTELLATION OF VITAL PHENOMENA by Anthony Marra |
| 2013 *3 winners | MY FAVORITE WARLORD by Eutene Gloria KIND ONE by Laird Hunt THE YELLOW BIRDS by Kevin Powers |
| 2012 | HALF-BLOOD BLUES by Esi Edugyan |
| 2011 *2 winners | GREAT HOUSE by Nicole Krauss THE CLIFFS OF BAGHDAD, GEORGIA by Mary Helen Stefaniak |
| 2010 | BURNT SHADOWS by Kamila Shamsie |
| 2009 *2 winners | THE PLAGUE OF DOVES by Louise Erdrich THE BOAT by Nam Le |
The Booker Prize
The Booker Prize is awarded annually to a novel written in English and published in the UK and Ireland.
The Booker Prize was known as the Man Booker Prize until 2019. Learn more about the Booker Prize.
Booker Prize Winners:
| 2017 | LINCOLN IN THE BARDO by George Saunders |
| 2016 | THE SELLOUT by Paul Beatty |
| 2015 | A BRIEF HISTORY OF SEVEN KILLINGS by Marlon James |
| 2014 | THE NARROW ROAD TO THE DEEP NORTH by Richard Flanagan |
| 2013 | THE LUMINARIES by Eleanor Catton |
| 2012 | BRING UP THE BODIES by Hilary Mantel |
| 2011 | THE SENSE OF AN ENDING by Julian Barnes |
| 2010 | THE FINKLER QUESTION by Howard Jacobson |
| 2009 | WOLF HALL by Hilary Mantel |
The International Booker Prize
Since 2016, the International Booker Prize has been awarded annually for a single book, translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland.
The International Booker Prize was known as the Man Booker International Prize until 2020. Learn more about the International Booker Prize.
Man Booker International Winners:
| 2017 | A HORSE WALKS INTO A BAR by David Grossman translated from Hebrew by Jessica Cohen |
| 2016 | THE VEGETARIAN by Han Kong translated from Korean by Deborah Smith |
CILIP Carnegie Medal
The CILIP Carnegie Medal is awarded to one new outstanding English book for children or young adults. Learn more about the CILIP Carnegie Medal.
CILIP Carnegie Medal Winners:
| 2017 | SALT TO THE SEA by Ruta Sepetys |
| 2016 | ONE by Sarah Crossan |
| 2015 | BUFFALO SOLDIER by Tanya Landman |
| 2014 | THE BUNKER DIARY by Kevin Brooks |
| 2013 | MAGGOT MOON by Sally Gardner |
| 2012 | A MONSTER CALLS by Patrick Ness |
| 2011 | MONSTERS OF MEN by Patrick Ness |
| 2010 | THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman |
| 2009 | BOG CHILD by Siobhan Dowd |
The Desmond Elliott Prize
The Desmond Elliott Prize is designed to support new writers. It’s awarded annually to a debut novel written in English and published in the UK.
Learn more about the Desmond Elliott Prize.
Desmond Elliott Winners:
| 2017 | GOLDEN HILL by Francis Spufford |
| 2016 | THE GLORIOUS HERESIES by Lisa McInerney |
| 2015 | OUR ENDLESS NUMBERED DAYS by Claire Fuller |
| 2014 | A GIRL IS A HALF-FORMED THING by Eimear McBride |
| 2013 | THE MARLOWE PAPERS by Ros Barber |
| 2012 | THE LAND OF DECORATION by Grace McCleen |
| 2011 | SARASWATI PARK by Anjali Joseph |
| 2010 | THE GIRL WITH GLASS FEET by Ali Shaw |
| 2009 | BLACKMOOR by Edward Hogan |
The International Dublin Literary Award
The International Dublin Literary Award is given annually for a novel written in or translated into English. Novels are nominated by public libraries all over the world on the basis of “high literary merit.”
Learn more about the International Dublin Literary Award.
Dublin Literary Award Winners:
| 2017 | A GENERAL THEORY OF OBLIVION by José Eduardo Agualusa translated from Portuguese by Daniel Hahn |
| 2016 | FAMILY LIFE by Akhil Sharma |
| 2015 | HARVEST by Jim Crace |
| 2014 | THE SOUND OF THINGS FALLING by Jual Gabriel Vásquez translated from Spanish by Anne McLean |
| 2013 | CITY OF BOHANE by Kevin Barry |
| 2012 | EVEN THE DOGS by Jon McGregor |
| 2011 | LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN by Colum McCann |
| 2010 | THE TWIN by Gerbrand Bakker translated from Dutch by David Colmer |
| 2009 | MAN GONE DOWN by Michael Thomas |
The Scotiabank Giller Prize
The Scotiabank Giller Prize is awarded annually to a Canadian author of a novel or short story collection published in English.
Learn more about the Scotiabank Giller Prize.
Giller Prize Winners:
| 2017 | BELLEVUE SQUARE by Michael Redhill |
| 2016 | DO NOT SAY WE HAVE NOTHING by Madeleine Thien |
| 2015 | FIFTEEN DOGS by André Alexis |
| 2014 | US CONDUCTORS by Sean Michaels |
| 2013 | HELLGOING by Lynn Coady |
| 2012 | 419 by Will Ferguson |
| 2011 | HALF-BLOOD BLUES by Esi Edugyan |
| 2010 | THE SENTIMENTALISTS by Johanna Skibrsrud |
| 2009 | THE BISHOP’S MAN by Linden MacIntyre |
The Hugo Awards
The Hugo Awards are presented annually for works of Science Fiction & Fantasy. There are currently 17 categories of awards given annually plus one that changes each year.
Learn more about the Hugo Awards.
Hugo Best Novel Winners:
| 2017 | THE OBELISK GATE by NK Jemisin |
| 2016 | THE FIFTH SEASON by NK Jemisin |
| 2015 | THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu translated from Chinese by Ken Liu |
| 2014 | ANCILLARY JUSTICE by Ann Leckie |
| 2013 | REDSHIRTS by John Scalzi |
| 2012 | AMONG OTHERS by Jo Walton |
| 2011 | BLACKOUT/ALL CLEAR by Connie Willis |
| 2010 *2 winners | THE WINDUP GIRL by Paolo Bacigalupi THE CITY & THE CITY by China Miéville |
| 2009 | THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman |
The Lambda Literary Awards
The Lambda Literary Awards (aka the Lammys) identify and honor the best lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender books. There are over 20 categories of awards.
Learn more about the Lammys.
LGBTQ Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror Winners:
| 2018 | AUTONOMOUS by Annalee Newitz |
| 2017 | THE DEVOURERS by Indra Das |
| 2016 | THE GRACEKEEPERS by Kirsty Logan |
| 2015 | BITTER WATERS by Chaz Brenchley |
| 2014 | DEATH BY SILVER by Melissa Scott & Amy Griswold |
| 2013 | GREEN THUMB by Tom Cadamone |
| 2012 | THE GERMAN by Lee Thomas |
| 2011 | DIANA COMET AND OTHER IMPROBABLE STORIES by Sandra McDonald |
| 2010 | PALIMPSEST by Catherynne M. Valente |
| 2009 | TURNSKIN by Nicole Kimberling |
The National Book Awards
The National Book Awards are awarded as a celebration of the best literature in America. There are currently 5 awards presented annually: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature.
Learn more about the National Book Awards.
National Book Award Fiction Winners:
| 2017 | SING, UNBURIED, SING by Jesmyn Ward |
| 2016 | THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD by Colson Whitehead |
| 2015 | FORTUNE SMILES by Adam Johnson |
| 2014 | REDEPLOYMENT by Phil Klay |
| 2013 | THE GOOD LORD BIRD by James McBride |
| 2012 | THE ROUND HOUSE by Louise Erdrich |
| 2011 | SALVAGE THE BONES by Jesmyn Ward |
| 2010 | LORD OF MISRULE by Jaimy Gordon |
| 2009 | LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN by Colum McCann |
The Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prize in Literature is awarded annually to an author from any country for outstanding contributions in the field of literature. There are 5 other Nobel Prizes awarded: Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Peace, and Economic Sciences.
Learn more about the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Nobel Prize in Literature Winners:
2019
PETER HANDKE
“for an influential work that with linguistic ingenuity has explored the periphery and the specificity of human experience.”
2018
OLGA TOKARCZUK
“for a narrative imagination that with encyclopedic passion represents the crossing of boundaries as a form of life.”
| 2017 | KAZUO ISHIGURO “who, in novels of great emotional force, has uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world.” |
| 2016 | BOB DYLAN “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.” |
| 2015 | SVETLANA ALEXIEVICH “for her polyphonic writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time.” |
| 2014 | PATRICK MODIANO “for the art of memory with which he has evoked the most ungraspable human destinies and uncovered the life-world of the occupation.” |
| 2013 | ALICE MUNRO “master of the contemporary short story.” |
| 2012 | MO YAN “who with hallucinatory realism merges folk tales, history and the contemporary.” |
| 2011 | TOMAS TRANSTRÖMER “because, through his condensed, translucent images, he gives us fresh access to reality.” |
| 2010 | MARIO VARGAS LLOSA “for his cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual’s resistance, revolt, and defeat.” |
| 2009 | HERTA MÜLLER “who, with the concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose, depicts the landscape of the dispossessed.” |
The Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction is awarded annually to an American author for a novel preferably dealing with American life.
The Pulitzer Prize is awarded for 21 categories across journalism and the arts. Learn more about the Pulitzer Prize.
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction Winners:
| 2018 | LESS by Andrew Sean Greer |
| 2017 | THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD by Colson Whitehead |
| 2016 | THE SYMPATHIZER by Viet Thanh Nguyen |
| 2015 | ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE by Anthony Doerr |
| 2014 | THE GOLDFINCH by Donna Tartt |
| 2013 | THE ORPHAN MASTER’S SON by Adam Johnson |
| 2012 | no award. |
| 2011 | A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD by Jennifer Egan |
| 2010 | TINKERS by Paul Harding |
| 2009 | OLIVE KITTERIDGE by Elizabeth Strout |
Women’s Prize for Fiction
The Women’s Prize for Fiction is awarded annually to a female author for an original full-length novel written in English and published in the United Kingdom.
The Women’s Prize for Fiction was previously known as the Orange Prize for Fiction (1996-2006 & 2009-2012), the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction (2007-2008), and the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction (2014-2017). Learn more about the Women’s Prize for Fiction.
Women’s Prize for Fiction Winners:
| 2017 | THE POWER by Naomi Alderman |
| 2016 | THE GLORIOUS HERESIES by Lisa McInerney |
| 2015 | HOW TO BE BOTH by Ali Smith |
| 2014 | A GIRL IS A HALF-FORMED THING by Eimear McBride |
| 2013 | MAY WE BE FORGIVEN by A.M. Homes |
| 2012 | THE SONG OF ACHILLES by Madeline Miller |
| 2011 | THE TIGER’S WIFE by Téa Obreht |
| 2010 | THE LACUNA by Barbara Kingsolver |
| 2009 | HOME by Marilynne Robinson |
So Many Book Awards
You’ll never run out of award-winning books to read.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t read something else, too.
Check out these Exciting New (and Upcoming) Book Releases next.
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Happy Writing,
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