Nearing the end of the year, National Book Award finalists have been chosen. These books of various genres represent the pinnacle of American literature, with many holding meaningful themes inspired by true stories.
In this year’s selection, many authors from multiple generations and backgrounds have their works presented. For example, Rabih Alameddine, a Jordanian author who first started writing in the 90s, is one of the finalists for the book awards. His work “The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother)” speaks on the story of a Lebanese teacher named Raja who fights through many struggles in the past decade, such as the Lebanese Civil War, the 2019 economic collapse, and the COVID-19 pandemic. With such a tragic backdrop, a story unfolds between a Raja and his mother, portraying a complex relationship with an intrusive mother and a son who desires independence. On the other hand, there are also writers whose debut novel was announced for its brilliance at the awards. Ethan Rutherford, an American author whose first novel, “North Sun: Or, the Voyage of the Whaleship Esther,” was shortlisted, is a representative of the new generation of writers. The “North Sun: Or, the Voyage of the Whaleship Esther” is a story about the 1878 whaling voyage of the ship “Esther.” The crew embarks on a whaling journey, but they are also tasked with finding a lost ship and its captain in the Chukchi Sea. This novel explores the themes of human nature, testing human behavior in perilous situations on the mysterious sea, and the crew’s internal struggles. Despite this being Ethan Rutherford’s first novel, it has received great praise. Emily Barton, author of The Book of Esther, comments, "I don't know how, but Ethan Rutherford freaking did it. He wrote Moby Dick for our times."
Furthermore, there are also many great books for other genres of literature. Some examples include Yiyun Li’s “Things in Nature Merely Grow” in the nonfiction section, Kyle Lukoff’s “A World Worth Saving” in the Young People’s Literature genre, Richard Siken’s poem “I Do Know Some Things”, and Anjet Daanje’s “The Remembered Soldier”, which starred in the translated literature section of the book awards, the original from the Dutch by David McKay. These authors show magnificence in their writing skills through their works.
Similarly, at Concord Academy, there are also people knowledgeable on the topic of books and reading. Martha Kennedy, the school librarian, was interviewed for her insights on this year’s book awards and suggestions for CA’s students. When asked about the National Book Awards, Kennedy presents with vast knowledge. She recognizes the broad selection of books in the past ten years, varying in diversity regarding styles, authors, etc.. Kennedy explains how the judges pick the books for the awards, “I think one piece they recognize is a lifetime of writing, which is true for the biggest awards for writing, like the Nobel Prize. The National Book Awards also started doing this, having writers spanning multiple generations.” Kennedy also acknowledges some of the writers, naming Patricia Smith, an African American poet who wrote “The Intentions of Thunder: New and Selected Poems”, nonfictional authors documenting the conflict in Gaza and Palestine, and global translations of texts in different languages. Additionally, Kennedy recalls CA alumni who have been featured in the past decade of the awards. Imani Perry ’90 wrote “South to America: a Journey Below the Mason-Dixon Line to Understand the Soul of a Nation,” and was shortlisted in the 2022 National Book Award for Nonfiction. Julia Glass’74, wrote “Three Junes”, winning the 2001 National Book Award for Fiction. Ann Arensberg ’54 wrote “Sister Wolf,” winning the 1981 National Book Award for First Novel.
Finally, an overview of the 2025 National Book Awards is an inclusion of all authors and topics. This year, many works have been published. Some stand out from the rest. However, a common aspect that these books share is their ability to take the reader to various places around the world with words on paper. From the National Book Awards to CA’s community, books are capable of conveying powerful messages and providing a time of escape. It is a perfect representation of literature. Just like what Ralph Lauren said, “Books open windows to the world and have the power to transform lives.”