2025 brings with it a new year of exceptional literary accomplishments! We know what 2025 books we're most excited to read with our book clubs (both fiction and nonfiction), but which books will capture the hearts of book critics and award committees?
Read on for a regularly updated, comprehensive list of book prizes awarded in 2025! Most prizes have yet to be announced, but we've indicated when they are typically awarded and we'll share this year's winners once they are. We've also linked to many longlists and shortlists that have already been announced. You can view book award winners from 2024 in our previous blog post.
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.
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Pulitzer Prize
Established in 1917, the Pulitzer Prize is one of America's most prestigious literary honors. While a majority of the two dozen prizes administered are for achievements in journalism, six of the prizes are for books, with categories for fiction, poetry, general nonfiction, history, biography and memoir/autobiography. Often considered the highest national honor for American writing, the Pulitzer has recognized many works that have become classics of American literature and includes a $15,000 award.
Announcement timing: Winners and finalists will be announced in May 2025
Booker Prize
Founded in 1969, the Booker Prize (formerly the Booker Prize for Fiction and the Man Booker Prize) is awarded annually to the best novel written in English and published in the UK and Ireland. In 2014, eligibility was expanded to include all books wirtten in English (previously the prize was limited to authors from Commonwealth countries, Ireland and South Africa. Coming with a £50,000 prize, it's known for transforming authors' careers and significantly boosting book sales.
Announcement timing: The long list will be announced on July 26, 2025, followed by the short list on September 23 and the winners on November 10, 2025.
International Booker Prize
A companion to the Booker Prize, the International Booker Prize recognizes the best book translated into English and published in the UK and Ireland, with the £50,000 prize split equally between the author and translator. This award celebrates the vital work of translators and promotes literature in translation, helping to break down cultural and linguistic barriers through literature.
Announcement timing: The 2025 longlist has been announced, and has been narrowed down to a shortlist of six books. The winner will be annouced on May 20, 2025.
Nobel Prize in Literature
Established as part of Alfred Nobel's will and first awarded in 1901, the Nobel Prize in Literature is awarded annually by the Swedish Academy to an author who has produced "the most outstanding work in an idealistic direction." Considered the world's most prestigious literary award, it recognizes a writer's entire body of work rather than a single title and includes a medal, diploma, and substantial monetary award that changes yearly but has recently exceeded US $1,000,000.
Announcement timing: Early October.
National Book Awards
The National Book Awards, initially established in 1936, are presented by the National Book Foundation in the United States across several categories including Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People's Literature. Among the most respected literary prizes in the United States, these $10,000 awards bring national attention to distinguished writing and help elevate important voices in American literature.
Announcement timing: The longlist will be announced in mid-September 2025; finalists will be announced on October 7, 2025, and the winners will be announced on November 19.
Women's Prize
Established in 1996, the Women's Prize (formerly the Orange Prize for Fiction) is awarded annually to female authors for outstanding writing, with separate prizes for fiction and, starting in 2023, for nonfiction. The Fiction prize honors the best original full-length novel written in English by a woman of any nationality, while the newer Nonfiction category recognizes exceptional nonfiction work. Created in response to gender bias in other major literary awards (after the 1991 Booker Prize shortlist included no female authors), the £30,000 prizes celebrate excellence, originality, and accessibility in women's writing and have helped bring attention to many important works.
Announcement timing: The 16 novels in the 2025 fiction longlist for the Women's Prize have been announced, as have 6 shortlist novels. Both the 2025 nonfiction longlist and shortlist have also been announced. The winner of both the fiction and nonfiction prizes will be announced on June 12, 2025.
National Book Critics Circle Award
Founded in 1974, the National Book Critics Circle Awards are given annually to honor the finest books published in English in six categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Biography, Autobiography, Poetry, and Criticism. An additional two awards are bestowed on the best debut book in any genre (The John Leonard Prize) and the best book translated into English (both of these awards are given to books of any genre). Books must be published in the United States but may be by authors from any country. These awards are unique because they are chosen by book critics representing critical opinion about the best books of the year.
Announcement timing: The 2024 awards were announced in March 2025. The 2025 awards (covering books published during calendar year 2025) will be announced in March 2026.
2024 National Book Critics Circle Award Winners:
- Fiction: My Friends by Hisham Matar
- Nonfiction: Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space by Adam Higginbotham
- Debut: Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir by Tessa Hulls
- Book in translation: A Last Supper of Queer Apostles by Pedro Lemebel, translated from the Spanish by Gwendolyn Harper
- Biography: Candy Darling: Dreamer, Icon, Superstar by Cynthia Carr
- Autobiography: Patriot: A Memoir by Alexei Navalny, translated from the Russian by Arch Tait with Stephen Dalziel
- Poetry: Wrong Norma by Anne Carson
Kirkus Prize
Established in 2014, the Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with $50,000 given annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction, and young readers' literature. The prize, bestowed by the book review magazine Kirkus Reviews, is notable for considering books from both traditional publishers and independent presses, including self-published works that receive a starred Kirkus review, making it one of the more inclusive major literary prizes.
Announcement timing: Six finalists in each category will be announced in August, and the winners will be announced at a prize ceremony in October.
PEN/Faulkner Award
Founded in 1981, the PEN/Faulkner Award is one of the more prestigious American literary prizes, awarded for fiction written by an American citizen or permanent resident. With a $15,000 prize, it celebrates the excellence and diversity of American fiction and is judged by fellow writers, making it a recognition of literary merit by peers in the field.
Announcement timing: 10 longlist novels for the 2025 prize have been announced and narrowed down to a set of five finalists. The winner will be announced at an award celebration on May 15, 2025.
British Book Awards (The Nibbies)
The British Book Awards, or "Nibbies," recognize the commercial successes of publishers, authors, and bookshops across categories including Fiction Book of the Year, Non-Fiction Book of the Year, and overall Book of the Year. The awards are currently administered by The Bookseller, a British magazine which reports on publishing industry news. These awards are distinctive for acknowledging both the literary quality and commercial success of books, as well as highlighting the crucial role of publishers and booksellers in bringing literature to the public.
Announcement timing: Shortlists have been announced across all categories, and the winners will be announced on May 12, 2025.
Carol Shields Prize
Launched in 2022, the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction is a major literary award honoring exceptional writing by women and non-binary writers in the United States and Canada. With a prize of $150,000, it is one of the most valuable literary awards in the world and aims to address gender imbalance in recognition and financial compensation for writers. Named after Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carol Shields, the prize celebrates literature that demonstrates extraordinary artistic merit while providing visibility to women's experiences and perspectives.
Announcement timing: The 2025 longlist was announced on March 6 and the shortlist was announced on April 3. The Prize announcement will be on May 1, 2025.