The Nickel Boys
International Dublin Literary Award · 2021 · ShortlistPulitzer Prize for Fiction · 2020 · WinnerOrwell Prize for Political Fiction · 2020 · WinnerNational Book Critics Circle Award (Fiction) · 2019 · ShortlistKirkus Prize (Fiction) · 2019 · WinnerOrwell Prize for Political Fiction · 2019 · Shortlist
Award History
| Award | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|
| International Dublin Literary Award | 2021 | Shortlist |
| Pulitzer Prize for Fiction | 2020 | Winner |
| Orwell Prize for Political Fiction | 2020 | Winner |
| National Book Critics Circle Award (Fiction)Fiction | 2019 | Shortlist |
| Kirkus Prize (Fiction)Fiction | 2019 | Winner |
| Orwell Prize for Political Fiction | 2019 | Shortlist |
About This Book
Colson Whitehead's novel is based on the Dozier School for Boys, a reform school in Florida where hundreds of Black boys were tortured and killed over decades. Following Elwood Curtis, a Black teenager committed to the school in the 1960s, the novel strips away the myth of American progress to expose the continuity of racial violence. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction in 2020.
About the Author
Colson Whitehead is an American novelist who has become one of the most decorated writers in contemporary American fiction. Born in New York City, he graduated from Harvard University. His work spans genres including literary fiction, horror, and genre-bending historical fiction. Read more →
