National Book Award finalists announced, one-up the hype around Nobel Prize
A day before the announcement of the winner for the Nobel Prize in Literature, the National Book Foundation has released the names of the finalists for its own prize, the National Book Award. In what has become a year for heavyweights in literature (with releases from Zadie Smith, Dave Eggers, Junot Diaz, Michael Chabon, and others) the NBA's shortlist follows suit.
Nominees for the NBA include the aforementioned Diaz (This is How You Lose Her) and Eggers (A Hologram for the King), as well as seasoned vets Louise Erdrich (The Round House) and Ben Fountain (Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk), and debut novelist Kevin Powers (The Yellow Birds). While three out of the five authors have had dalliances with the Pulitzer Prize (Diaz won in 2007 and Eggers and Erdrich were finalists in 2000 and 2009, respectively), none of those the current NBA nominees have previously been up for the award.
Other categories for the NBA include prizes in non-fiction, poetry, and young adult fiction. For a full list of nominees, click here. The winners will be announced on November 14th.
