Presenter of the National Book Awards, our mission is to celebrate the best of American literature, to expand its audience, and to enhance the cultural value of great writing in America. Learn more here.
Swedish artist Susanna Hesselberg
recently constructed a library that plunges into an infinite abyss.
Visible only from above ground, the intriguing installation is
inconspicuously marked and, from a distance, looks as though it’s just a
square frame laying on the grass. As viewers approach it, however, they
can easily see the stacks of books descending into the earth. Its
compact structure is reminiscent of a mining shaft or water well with no
apparent bottom.
Revisit these titles recently honored by the National Book Awards while you’re lounging poolside this Fourth because there is so much American history to read about.
Written by acclaimed historian Jill Lepore, this 2013 National Book Award Finalist for nonfiction recounts the life of the other Franklin—Benjamin Franklin’s sister, Jane. The biography illuminates decades of letter-writing between Jane and Ben Franklin, establishing their close relationship, and revealing the ways in which gender, along with Jane’s 12 children, led the siblings to lead two very distinct lives.
Both a 2014 National Book Award Winner for fiction and a 5 Under 35 honoree, Redeployment by Phil Klay, is a collection of short stories thematically linked by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The stories in the collection attempt to make sense of the trauma and chaos of contemporary war, both on the front lines of battle and at home.
Longlisted for the 2015 National Book Award for young people’s literature, X tells the story of Malcolm X from his childhood through his early 20s. Based on his actual life and written by his third daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz, the book reimagines the formative years of one of the most influential figures in recent American history.
Some Luck by Jane Smiley, which was longlisted for the 2014 National Book Award for fiction, tells the story of Rosanna and Walter Langdon and their family of five children. Starting in Iowa at the end of the first World War, each chapter of the book covers a single year in the lives of the Langdon family, charting the course of American history through the beginning of the 1950s.
This summer, leave the planes behind and travel around the world to fourteen different countries and different times, getting a taste of life around the globe through 13 excellent works of fiction.
“The young turf-cutter fell hard for his first girlfriend while operating heavy machinery in the peatlands. His name was Cillian Eddowis, he was fifteen years old, and he was illegally employed by Bos Ardee.”
The father in this 2015 National Book Award finalist is a kind of spectral presence. His family must decide whether or not they’ll sell their home in Detroit as the eldest son, Cha-Cha, copes with the responsibility he feels to his younger brothers and sisters. The Turner House shows us how each generation influences the next long after we’re gone.
This powerful exploration of what it means to exist in a black body today, written from a father to his fifteen-year-old son, is both intimate and universal. Between the World and Me was heralded as “required reading” by Toni Morrison, and received the 2015 National Book Award for nonfiction.
This 2014 National Book Award finalist shows a daughter coping with the reality of her aging father, who has dementia. Moving between the past and the present in four-color cartoons, the memoir lets you actually see the feelings that come with a child accepting a parental role for their parents–anxiety, anger, fear, sadness–all through Chast’s filter of humor.
This 2015 National Book Award finalist is a meditation from a son about the importance and vulnerability of fatherhood. His father’s illness and his growing son
bring Phillips to reflect on the persistence of life, bringing together three generations in these stunning poems.
2015 National Book Award winner for Young People’s Literature, Challenger Deep, was inspired by the real-life story of author Neal Shusterman and his son, Brendan, who suffered from mental illness. The writing is bold and imaginative, so adults can enjoy it too.
For just $20, you can see some of award winning writers play basketball against publishing powerhouses, including Jonny Diamond (Lit Hub), Katie Freeman (Riverhead), Mitchell S. Jackson (The Residue Years), Téa Obreht (The Tiger’s Wife), and Rowan Ricardo Phillips (Heaven). There’ll be drinks and snacks at the game donated by Brooklyn Brewery, Archer Roose, and Shake Shack.
The Other NBA, sponsored by Out of Print and Litsy, will help BookUp students develop a lifelong passion for reading and start their first personal libraries.
On June 15, your favorite writers take on publishers in the National Book Foundation’s charity basketball game.
Proceeds from The Other NBA will benefit BookUp, our reading program for underserved youth that just launched its first site dedicated to LGBTQ readers.
Shed those layers, book fiends. Warmer months are up ahead. Here at Quirk, we’ve compiled a list of books to help ease you into summer.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Yeah, it’s tropical, which makes this a summer pick. Required summer reading for school? Maybe. But is it lighthearted? Before you answer, think about Simon. Yeah, that’s what we thought. Lord of the Flies is a classic example of books packed with allegory. Take heed. Of course, if you read this one in high school like the majority of us, you get it. And if you haven’t read it yet, pick up a copy and find out what happens when a bunch of young boys try to govern themselves on a deserted island.
This One Summer by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki
This graphic novel covers some heavy material, like family troubles and teenage pregnancy, but it still pulls off that carefree summertime vibe, making it a perfect transition to spring. Together, Rose, Windy, and their summer at Awago Beach create a read that will make you miss things like gummy feet and hot weather without the responsibility of adulting. What’s also interesting about this one is the point of view; Rose is the main character, and yet her insightfulness gives us a surprisingly detailed view of others in the town, like the teen locals.
Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge by Paul Krueger (out June 7th)
What gets you ready for summer better than a summer release? This “new adult” novel follows Bailey Chen, who is fresh out of college with zero job offers…besides a gig she manages to grab at a bar. For those who have just graduated, this is the perfect summer read, complete with bartenders who mix magical cocktails to defeat demons, the woes of being a new adult, and the awesome backdrop that is Chicago. That’s the dream, right? To mix alcoholic beverages that can make you invisible or super strong? Hell yeah.
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
If you love a compelling young narrator, eleven-year-old Delphine will envelop you in her strong voice. She has to be strong, as the caretaker of her two younger sisters after her mother left. This middle grade book takes place the summer the three girls visit their mother, Cecile, in California. But instead of spending time with Cecile, the girls are sent to a day camp run by the Black Panthers. In order to stay out of their mother’s way, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern spend much of their time learning about their family and themselves during an important period of time in African American history. The greatest thing about this book by far is the very different voices of all three sisters. Sit down with this book for a beautifully written, memorable experience.
Summer Food: New Summer Classics by Paul Lowe, Nina Dreyer Hensley, and Jim Hensley
This one’s a cookbook, and for good reason. Summer foods are in their own category, not lumped together with the foods from colder, wintery months. Imagine those vibrant veggies and how well they’ll pair with the black and white pages of your summer read. Mmm, looks good. Trust us and keep this summer cookbook close to your heart, just like your favorite novel. And look, it has recipes for quinoa.