In Defense of Book Awards

 Every year as the big book award nominees are announced people have opinions and complaints. This year everything came to a very public head when NYT opinion writer Bret Stephens wrote this awful and hateful essay about the National Book Awards nominees entitled "The Literary World's D.E.I. Checklist."*

I wish I could say I was surprised, but sigh....I was not. When the lists used to be all white men no one complained, but the second it is ALL people of color, it is assumed they are not qualified. 

Thankfully LitHub is here to defend the process with this article-- In Defense of Literary Awards (and Longlists, and Shortlists): MARIS KREIZMAN PUSHES BACK ON THE BOOK PRIZE SNARK

But I should note, it is not just this year. Kreizman wrote this last year-- Something to Celebrate: In Praise of Awards Season: MARIS KREIZMAN ON THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNIZING ART THAT MATTERS

Who gets nominated for awards matters. When lesser known authors who are writing amazing books get nominated over the BIG names, it does not effect the big names negatively, but the attention it brings to those lesser known, but just as talented names, if career changing. It also opens the door for people to look toward more lesser known names int he future.

And, with all disrespect to the faulty logic of Mr Stephens, the reason we have more diverse lists of nominees now is because the juries tend to be made of previous nominees and winners. When those nominees and winners were only white men, they nominated only white men. Slowly women, people of color, and queer people have been added to those ranks, and when their turn comes up to be a juror, they bring their perspective and reading preferences with them. Hence, slowly (very slowly, too slowly) our major awards, like the National Book Award referenced in his essay, start to diversify.

I also need to say this explicitly--MANY amazing books, worthy of recognition are overlooked every single year. I am saying this as someone who has been passed over for awards, been nominated and lost, and been nominated and won. 

Now, all of this is why I do not focus on who wins awards for you here on the blog. Rather, I use my Using Awards Lists As a RA Tool series as a way to highlight every title, author, and in many cases, jurors that is honored with a mention. It is also why I work so hard on my annual Attack of the Best Lists coverage. And it is why, I take the time every single year to cross reference the books that sell the most, are on the best lists, and are checked out of libraries the most, compiling it all in one huge presentations every February. (Here is the link to that 2025 Year in Review program's slides.)

I am here to help you see the big picture (not just the winners) and to encourage you to embrace all of these "best" designations as a resource that you can use to help every reader.

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