National Book Award

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

National Book Award

Role / Field:

Annual US literary awards celebrating American literature and authors.

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Foundations

The National Book Awards (NBA) are a set of annual literary awards in the United States. At the final National Book Awards Ceremony every November, the National Book Foundation presents the National Book Awards and two lifetime achievement awards to authors. The National Book Awards were established in 1936 by the American Booksellers Association, abandoned during World War II, and re-established by three book industry organizations in 1950. authors and publishers were eligible for the pre-war awards.

Key Developments & Impact

Since then they are presented to American authors for books published in the United States roughly during the award year. The nonprofit National Book Foundation was established in 1988 to administer and enhance the National Book Awards and "move beyond [them] into the fields of education and literacy", primarily by sponsoring public appearances by writers. Its stated mission is "to celebrate the best literature in America, expand its audience, and ensure that books have a prominent place in American culture." In 2018, there were 1,637 books nominated for the five award categories, led by the Nonfiction category with 546 nominations. The 2018 ceremony was held on November 14 in...

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1936: 1936 Milestone — The National Book Awards were established in 1936 by the American Booksellers Association, abandoned during World War II, and re-established by three book industry organizations in 1950.
2. 1988: 1988 Milestone — The nonprofit National Book Foundation was established in 1988 to administer and enhance the National Book Awards and "move beyond [them] into the fields of education and literacy", primarily by sponsoring public appearances by writers.
3. 2018: 2018 Milestone — " In 2018, there were 1,637 books nominated for the five award categories, led by the Nonfiction category with 546 nominations.

Notable Quotes by National Book Award

“To celebrate the best literature in America, expand its audience, and ensure that books have a prominent place in American culture.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: National Book Award

True or False: “The National Book Awards were first established in the United States in the 21st century.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The National Book Awards were originally established in 1936, decades before the 21st century.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. E. Housman — Historical peer (Died in 1936) (1936): English classicist and poet, renowned for his scholarship and melancholic verse.
• A. S. Byatt — Historical peer (Born in 1936) (1936): Acclaimed English novelist, poet, and critic known for complex literary works.
• Agnes Smedley — Historical peer (Died in 1950) (1950): American journalist and activist supporting Indian Independence and Chinese Communism.
• Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah — Historical peer (Died in 1950) (1950): Tenth ruler of the Sheikhdom of Kuwait, governing from 1921 until 1950.
• Abdul Basit 'Abd us-Samad — Historical peer (Died in 1988) (1988): Renowned Egyptian Quran reciter, celebrated for his melodious and emotionally engaging style.
• Abdul Ghaffar Khan — Historical peer (Died in 1988) (1988): Pioneering nonviolent activist and founder of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement.
• Aaron Klug — Historical peer (Died in 2018) (2018): Pioneering biophysicist known for crystallographic electron microscopy and nucleic acid structure.
• Alan Bean — Historical peer (Died in 2018) (2018): American astronaut, naval officer, and lunar explorer who walked on the Moon.

Frequently Asked Questions about National Book Award