National Book Award for Nonfiction 2026

The 2026 National Book Award for Nonfiction longlist was announced on 16 September 2026. Finalists are due 6 October; winners on 18 November.

Shortlist & Longlist

Shortlist

Shortlist

The Midnight Special: The Secret Prison History of American Music

Shortlist

Bookshop Amazon

Shortlist

Huna: A Memoir of Revolution, Prison, and Becoming

Abdelrahman ElGendy

Shortlist

Bookshop Amazon

Shortlist

Let the Poets Govern: A Declaration of Freedom

Camonghne Felix

Shortlist

Bookshop Amazon

Shortlist

Mother Tongue

Shortlist

Bookshop Amazon

Shortlist

Spawning Season: An Experiment in Queer Parenthood

Joseph Osmundson

Shortlist

Bookshop Amazon

Longlist

Judges

Eve L. Ewing
Audrey I-Wei Huang
Jonathan C. Slaght
Robert Warrior (Chair)
Lidia Yuknavitch

Event Details

Announcement Date: October 6, 2026
Ceremony Date: November 18, 2026