Aspen Words Literary Prize

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The Aspen Words Literary Prize, established in 2018, is an annual literary award presented by Aspen Words, a literary center in Aspen, Colorado. The prize is presented to an author for "an influential work of fiction that illuminates a vital contemporary issue and demonstrates the transformative power of literature on thought and culture.” [1] Winners receive a $35,000 prize. [2]

Recipients

Aspen Words Literary Prize winners and finalists
YearAuthorTitleResultRef.
2018 Mohsin Hamid Exit West Winner [1] [3]
Lesley Nneka Arimah What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky Shortlist [4]
Zinzi Clemmons What We Lose
Samrat Upadhyay Mad Country
Jesmyn Ward Sing, Unburied, Sing
Alain Mabanckou Black MosesLonglist [5]
Weike Wang Chemistry
Roxane Gay Difficult Women
Rowan Hisayo Buchanan Harmless Like You
Shanthi Sekaran Lucky Boy
Vaddey Ratner Music of the Ghosts
Hala Alyan Salt Houses
Bandi The Accusation
Jean Hanff Korelitz The Devil and Webster
Megan Hunter The End We Start From
Curtis Dawkins The Graybar Hotel
Lisa Ko The Leavers
Jonathan Dee The Locals
Viet Thanh Nguyen The Refugees
Achy Obejas The Tower of the Antilles
2019 Tayari Jones An American Marriage Winner [1] [6]
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah Friday Black Shortlist [7]
David Chariandy Brother
Jennifer Clement Gun Love
Tommy Orange There There
Elaine Castillo America Is Not The HeartLonglist [8]
Will Mackin Bring Out the Dog
Akwaeke Emezi Freshwater
Nafissa Thompson-Spires Heads of the Colored People
Neel Patel If You See Me, Don't Say Hi [9]
Jamel Brinkley Lucky Man [8]
Ling Ma Severance
Gaël Faye Small Country
Sharon Bala The Boat People
R.O. Kwon The Incendiaries
Brandon Hobson Where the Dead Sit Talking
2020 Christy Lefteri The Beekeeper of Aleppo Winner [1] [10]
Nicole Dennis-Benn PatsyShortlist [11]
Brian Allen Carr Opioid, Indiana
Valeria Luiselli Lost Children Archive
Bryan Washington Lot
Steph Cha Your House Will PayLonglist [12] [13]
Angie Cruz Dominicana [12]
Kali Fajardo-Anstine Sabrina & Corina [12] [13]
Laila Lalami The Other Americans
Beth Piatote The Beadworkers
Melissa Rivero The Affairs of the Falcóns [12]
Maurice Carlos Ruffin We Cast a Shadow
Rion Amilcar Scott The World Doesn't Require You [12] [13]
Ocean Vuong On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous
Colson Whitehead The Nickel Boys
Jacqueline Woodson Red at the Bone
2021 Louise Erdrich The Night Watchman Winner [14] [15]
Susan Abulhawa Against the Loveless WorldShortlist [16] [17]
Rumaan Alam Leave the World Behind
Danielle Evans The Office of Historical Corrections
Randall Kenan If I Had Two Wings: Stories
Brit Bennett The Vanishing Half Longlist [18] [19]
Diane Cook The New Wilderness [18]
Juliana Delgado Lopera Fiebre Tropical [18] [19]
Akwaeke Emezi The Death of Vivek Oji [18]
Yaa Gyasi Transcendent Kingdom [18] [19]
Lydia Millet A Children's Bible: A Novel
Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi A Girl is a Body of Water [18]
Tola Rotimi Abraham Black Sunday [18] [19]
Brandon Taylor Real Life [18]
Bryan Washington Memorial [18] [19]
2022 Dawnie Walton The Final Revival of Opal & Nev Winner [20]
Hala Alyan The Arsonists’ CityShortlist [1] [21]
Myriam J. A. Chancy What Storm, What Thunder
Omar El Akkad What Strange Paradise
Kirstin Valdez Quade The Five Wounds
Eric Nguyen Things We Lost To The Water Longlist [22] [23]
Honorée Fanonne Jeffers The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois
Jakob Guanzon Abundance
Jason Mott Hell of a Book
Kaitlyn Greenidge Libertie
Karen Tucker Bewilderness
Linda Rui Feng Swimming Back to Trout River
Nawaaz Ahmed Radiant Fugitives
Peter Ho Davies A Lie Someone Told You About Yourself
Richard Powers Bewilderment
Tahmima Alam The Startup Wife
2023 Jamil Jan Kochai The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other StoriesWinner [24]
Angie Cruz How Not To Drown in a Glass of WaterFinalist [25]
Oscar Hokeah Calling for a Blanket Dance
Sarah Thankam Mathews All This Could Be Different
Manuel Muñoz The Consequences
Fatimah Asghar When We Were SistersLonglist [26] [27]
NoViolet Bulawayo Glory
Jonathan Escoffery If I Survive You
Mohsin Hamid The Last White Man
Ladee Hubbard The Last Suspicious Holdout
Talia Laskshmi Kolluri What We Fed to the Manticore
Chinelo Okparanta Harry Sylvester Bird
Tara M. Stringfellow Memphis
Alejandro VarelaThe People Who Report More Stress
2024 Isabella Hammad Enter GhostWinner [28]
James McBride The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store Finalist [29]
Jamel Brinkley Witness
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah Chain-Gang All-Stars
Aaliyah Bilal Temple Folk
Stephen Buoro The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy AfricaLonglist [30]
Sonora Jha The Laughter
Claire Jiménez What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez
R. F. Kuang Yellowface
Rebecca Makkai I Have Some Questions for You
Jennifer Maritza McCauley When Trying To Return Home: Stories
Alejandro Varela The People Who Report More Stress: Stories
Jesmyn Ward Let Us Descend
C Pam Zhang Land of Milk and Honey

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Schaub, Michael (2022-02-28). "Finalists for Aspen Words Literary Prize Revealed". Kirkus Reviews . Archived from the original on 2022-02-28. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  2. ↑ "About Aspen Words | Literary Center & Nonprofit Organization". Aspen Words. Archived from the original on 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  3. ↑ Arias, Patricia de (2018-04-18). "Awards: Aspen Words Literary; Neukom Institute Literary Arts". Shelf Awareness . Archived from the original on 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  4. ↑ Weisman, Jonathan (2018-03-06). "Awards: CWA Diamond Dagger; Aspen Words Shortlist". Shelf Awareness. Archived from the original on 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  5. ↑ "2018 PRIZE". Aspen Words. Archived from the original on 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  6. ↑ Kirby, Carolyn (2019-04-12). "Awards: Aspen Winner; Anisfield-Wolf Winners; Best Translated Book Longlists". Shelf Awareness. Archived from the original on 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  7. ↑ Rankine, Claudia (2019-02-21). "Awards: L.A. Times Book; Nebula; Aspen Words Literary; Jane Grigson Trust Shortlists". Shelf Awareness. Archived from the original on 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  8. 1 2 "2019 PRIZE". Aspen Words. Archived from the original on 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  9. ↑ Doll, Jen (2021-10-01). "Neel Patel's Homeward Bound Debut". Publishers Weekly . Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  10. ↑ Kamp, David (2020-04-17). "Awards: Aspen Words Winner; Reading the West Shortlists". Shelf Awareness. Archived from the original on 2022-02-28. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  11. ↑ Eliasberg, Jan (2020-02-20). "Awards: Reading the West; Aspen Words; Helen Bernstein". www.shelf-awareness.com. Archived from the original on 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 "2020 PRIZE". Aspen Words. Archived from the original on 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  13. 1 2 3 Schaub, Michael. "Jacqueline Woodson, Colson Whitehead on Longlist for Aspen Words Literary Prize". Kirkus Reviews . Archived from the original on 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  14. ↑ Schaub, Michael (2021-04-22). "Louise Erdrich Wins Aspen Words Literary Prize". Kirkus Reviews . Archived from the original on 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  15. ↑ Becker, Barbara (2021-04-22). "Awards: Aspen Words, Colby Winners; Wolfson History Shortlist". Shelf Awareness. Archived from the original on 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  16. ↑ Allende, Isabel (2021-02-18). "Awards: Aspen Words Finalists". Shelf Awareness. Archived from the original on 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  17. ↑ Muchnick, Laurie (2021-02-17). "Shortlist for Aspen Words Literary Prize Revealed". Kirkus Reviews . Archived from the original on 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "2021 PRIZE". Aspen Words. Archived from the original on 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 Schaub, Michael (2020-11-10). "Longlist for Aspen Words Literary Prize Revealed". Kirkus Reviews . Archived from the original on 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  20. ↑ Schaub, Michael (2022-04-22). "Dawnie Walton Wins the Aspen Words Literary Prize". Kirkus Reviews . Archived from the original on 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  21. ↑ Chadburn, Melissa (2022-02-28). "Awards: New-York Historical Society Zalaznick Winner; Aspen Words Shortlist". Shelf Awareness. Archived from the original on 2022-02-28. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  22. ↑ "2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize Longlist". Aspen Words. Archived from the original on 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  23. ↑ Schaub, Michael (2021-11-10). "Aspen Words Literary Prize Longlist Revealed". Kirkus Reviews . Archived from the original on 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  24. ↑ Manley, Janet (2023-04-20). "Jamil Jan Kochai's The Haunting of Hajji Hotak has won the 2023 Aspen Prize". Literary Hub . Archived from the original on 2023-12-25. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  25. ↑ Schaub, Michael (2023-03-06). "Finalists for Aspen Words Literary Prize Revealed". Kirkus Reviews . Archived from the original on 2023-03-06. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  26. ↑ "2023 Aspen Words Literary Prize Longlist". Aspen Words. Archived from the original on 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  27. ↑ Schaub, Michael (2022-12-12). "Aspen Words Literary Prize Longlist Is Revealed". Kirkus Reviews . Archived from the original on 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  28. ↑ Schaub, Michael (2024-04-26). "Winnner of the Aspen Words Literary Prize Revealed". Kirkus Reviews . Archived from the original on 2024-04-26. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  29. ↑ Schaub, Michael (2024-03-14). "Aspen Words Literary Prize 2024 Finalists Revealed". Kirkus Reviews . Archived from the original on 2024-03-15. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  30. ↑ Anderson, Porter (2023-11-08). "The Aspen Words Literary Prize Names Its 2024 Longlist". Publishing Perspectives. Archived from the original on 2023-11-29. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
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