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2024 Book Awards and Book Prize Winners

Updated: Nov 21, 2024

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Author

Carrie Thornbrugh

Welcome to our 2024 literary awards roundup!  As the year unfolds, the world of letters is buzzing with anticipation for the most prestigious book prizes 2024 has to offer.

In this post, we'll take you on a journey through the landscape of award-winning books, from thought-provoking non-fiction to captivating award-winning novels. Our roundup showcases the cream of the crop in contemporary literature, highlighting both emerging voices and established authors who are pushing the boundaries of storytelling.

Whether you're a devoted fan of award-winning fiction or simply curious about the year's literary standouts, you'll find plenty to explore here. From the Pulitzer to the Booker and beyond, we're tracking the most coveted accolades in the book world.

As the year progresses, we'll be updating this list with the latest winners and nominees across various genres. It's your one-stop resource for discovering the most acclaimed reads of 2024.

Looking to elevate your reading list or spark engaging discussions in your book club? These award-winning books are sure to inspire. Don't forget to add these literary gems to your "Want to Read" shelf or include them in your next book club selection poll.
New to Bookclubs? Join our community of book lovers - it's free and easy to get started. Together, let's celebrate the best that the literary world has to offer in 2024!

Graphic showing the book covers of 10 award-winning books

Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

Established in 1917 but newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer The Pulitzer Prizes are given annually for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters."  While a majority of the two dozen prizes administered are for achievements in journalism, six of the prizes are for for books, with categories for fiction, poetry, general nonfiction, history, biography and memoir/autobiography. 

2024 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction Winner: 

Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips. A beautifully rendered novel set in West Virginia’s Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in the aftermath of the Civil War where a severely wounded Union veteran, a 12-year-old girl and her mother, long abused by a Confederate soldier, struggle to heal.

 

Booker Prize

Founded in the UK in 1969, The Booker Prize initially rewarded Commonwealth writers and now spans the globe; it is open to anyone regardless of origin. The winning book is a work that not only speaks to our current times but also one that will endure and join the pantheon of great literature. The shortlist for the 2024 Booker Prize featured five women and authors from five countries with Orbital by Samantha Harvey named the winner of the Booker Prize 2024. Harvey’s novel takes place over a single day in the life of six astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. Compact yet beautifully expansive, Orbital invites us to observe Earth’s splendour, whilst reflecting on the individual and collective value of every human life.  

2024 Booker Prize Winner:

Orbital by Samantha Harvey + Book Club Discussion Guide

 

2023 Booker Prize Winner:

Prophet Song by Paul Lynch + Book Club Discussion Guide

 

Booker International Prize

A counterpart to the Booker Prize, the International Booker Prize is awarded annually for the finest single work of fiction from around the world that has been translated into English and published in the UK and/or Ireland.

2024 Booker International Prize Winner:

Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck translated by Michael Hofmann

2024 Booker International Prize Shortlist finalists:

 

Nobel Prize in Literature

One of the highest honors in the literary world, The Nobel Prize in Literature 2023 was awarded to Jon Fosse, "for his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable." His immense oeuvre written in Norwegian Nynorsk and spanning a variety of genres consists of a wealth of plays, novels, poetry collections, essays, children’s books, and translations. While he is today one of the most widely performed playwrights in the world, he has also become increasingly recognized for his prose.

2024 Nobel Prize Winner in Literature is South Korean author, Han King, “for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life.” Her 2016 novel, Vegetarian, was declared one of the Best 100 Books of the 21st Century by New York Times.

 

Carol Shields Prize for Fiction

The Carol Shields Prize for Fiction, first awarded in 2023, is the first major English-language literary prize to celebrate creativity and excellence in fiction by women and non-binary writers in Canada and the United States.

2024 Carol Shields Prize Winner

Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshananthan 

2024 Carol Shields Prize Shortlist

 

National Book Awards

Established in 1950, the National Book Awards recognize and celebrate the best of American literature and are presented by The National Book Foundation. Winners in all five categories (Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature) were announced at the 75th National Book Awards on Wednesday, November 20, 2024. A full list of 2024 finalists can be found here.

2024 National Book Award Winners:

 

National Book Critics Circle Award

Started in 1976, the National Book Critics Circle presents awards for the finest books published in English in six categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Biography, Autobiography, Poetry, and Criticism.  The eligibility date range spans the calendar year, and the 2024 prizes will be awarded in March 2025.

2023 National Book Critics Circle Award Winners:

 

Women’s Prize for Fiction and Nonfiction

The Women’s Prize for Fiction (previously known as the Orange Prize for Fiction) is one of the most successful, influential, and popular literary prizes in the world, championing and amplifying women’s voices and nurturing a global community of readers. The Prize was established in 1996 to highlight and remedy the imbalance in coverage, respect and reverence given to women writers versus their male peers, creating a platform for exceptional writing by women to shine. A companion Non-Fiction Prize was launched in 2023. 

2024 Women’s Prize for Fiction Winner: 

Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshananthan

2024 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction Winner

Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein

2024 Women’s Prize for Fiction Shortlist:

2024 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction Shortlist:

 

Kirkus Prize

Created to celebrate the decades of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large, the Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction, and young readers’ literature.

2024 Kirkus Prize for Fiction Winner: 

James by Percival Everett

2024 Kirkus Prize for Non-Fiction Winner: 

Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space by Adam Higgenbotham

2024 Kirkus Prize for Young Readers Winner: 

Gather by Kenneth M. Cadow

 

2024 Kirkus Prize Fiction Finalists:

2024 Kirkus Prize Non-Fiction Finalists:

 

Hugo Award

The Hugo Awards, first presented in 1953 are science fiction’s most prestigious award. The Hugo Awards are voted on by members of the World Science Fiction Convention.

2024 Hugo Award Shortlist for Best Science Fiction Novel:

 

British Book Award

These awards occur annually in Britain and affirm, connect and energise the world of reading by showcasing the authors and illustrators who have stirred our hearts and imaginations, and the industry behind the scenes who have brought them to readers. The 2024 shortlist contains 72 titles across 12 categories. 

2024 British Book Award Winners:

  •  Murdle by G. T. Karber (Overall Book of the Year)

2023 British Book Award Winners:

 


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