National Book Award 2025: See the Full Shortlist, Biggest Surprises, and Front-Runner Favorites

The 76th National Book Award ceremony crowned this year’s most captivating voices in literature on November 19, 2025, live from New York City’s Cipriani Wall Street. Spotlight on the 2025 Winners Fiction: Rabih Alameddine, The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) Nonfiction: Omar El Akkad, One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This Poetry: Patricia Smith, The Intentions of Thunder: New and Selected Poems Translated Literature: We Are Green and Trembling by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara, translated by Robin Myers Young People’s Literature: The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story by Daniel Nayeri Emerging Themes and Cultural Resonance • War and displacement dominate both the Fiction and Nonfiction winners, echoing global conversations about conflict and identity. • Environmental anxiety pulses through the Poetry and Translated Literature selections, reflecting readers’ growing eco-consciousness. • Intergenerational storytelling in the Young People’s Literature category bridges history with today’s classroom debates. Why the National Book Award 2025 Matters for Readers Winning titles typically see sales spikes of 300–500 percent within weeks, making the list a shortcut to the year’s most discussed books. Libraries and bookstores have already expanded stock, anticipating holiday traffic driven by the awards buzz. Author Reactions and Industry Buzz Alameddine dedicated his fiction prize to “every migrant who turned a suitcase into a library,” while El Akkad challenged audiences to “rethink neutrality in times of war.” Social media lit up with live-tweeted acceptance speeches, pushing #NationalBookAward2025 to trend worldwide minutes after the broadcast. How to Dive Into the 2025 Winners 1. Start with the shorter Poetry collection to sample Smith’s electrifying verse. 2. Alternate the intense themes of El Akkad’s Nonfiction with the lyrical hope of the Translated Literature pick. 3. Save Alameddine’s epic novel for a long winter weekend. 4. Share Nayeri’s historical adventure with teens to spark cross-generational dialogue. Looking Ahead Submissions for the 2026 National Book Award open in March, and industry watchers are already scouting debut authors poised to follow this year’s groundbreaking lineup. Meta description: Discover every winner of the National Book Award 2025, explore key themes, author reactions, and why these books belong on your reading list today.