National Book Award for Fiction

From 1935 to 1941, there were six annual awards for general fiction and the "Bookseller Discovery" or "Most Original Book" was sometimes a novel. From 1980 to 1985, there were six annual awards to first novels or first works of fiction. In 1980 there were five awards for mystery, western, or science fiction. There have been many awards to fiction in the Children's or Young People's categories. ==Honorees, general fiction==

This list covers only the postwar awards (pre-war awards follow) to general fiction for adult readers: one annual winner from 1950 except two undifferentiated winners 1973 to 1975, dual hardcover and paperback winners 1980 to 1983. For each award, the winner is listed first, followed by the finalists. Unless otherwise noted, the year represents the year the award was given for books published in the previous year. Thus, the award year 1950 is for books published in 1949. 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s For 1980 to 1983 this list covers the paired "Fiction (hardcover)" and "Fiction (paperback)" awards in that order. Hard and paper editions were distinguished only in these four years; none of the paperback winners were original; in their first editions all had been losing finalists in 1979 or 1981. From 1980 to 1985 there was also one award for first novel or first work of fiction and in 1980 there were five more awards for mystery, western, and science fiction. 1984 entries for the "revamped" awards in three categories were published November 1983 to October 1984; eleven finalists were announced October 17. Winners were announced and celebrated November 15, 1984. 1984-1989 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s == Early awards for fiction ==

The National Book Awards for 1935 to 1940 annually recognized the "Most Distinguished Novel" (1935–1936) or "Favorite Fiction" (1937–1940). Furthermore, works of fiction were eligible for the "Bookseller Discovery" and "Most Original Book" awards; fiction winners are listed here. There was only one National Book Award for 1941, the Bookseller Discovery, which recognized the novel Hold Autumn In Your Hand by George Perry; then none until the 1950 revival in three categories including Fiction. Most Distinguished Novel (1935–1936) 1935: 'Rachel Field, Time Out of Mind''''' 1936: 'Margaret Mitchell, Gone With the Wind''''' Favorite Fiction (1937–1940) 1937: 'A. J. Cronin, The Citadel''''' :* Conrad Richter, The Sea of Grass :* Kenneth Roberts, Northwest Passage 1939: 'John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath''''' :* Sholom Asch, The Nazarene 1940: 'Richard Llewellyn, How Green Was My Valley''''' Bookseller Discovery (1936–1941) 1936: 'Norah Lofts, I Met a Gypsy''''' (short stories) 1937: 'Lawrence Watkin, On Borrowed Time''''' (novel) :*see 1937 Fiction 1938: see nonfiction 1939: 'Elgin Groseclose, Ararat''''' (novel) :* Chard Powers Smith, Artillery of Time, I 1940: see nonfiction 1941: 'George Sessions Perry, Hold Autumn in Your Hand''''' (novel) Most Original Book (1935–1939) 1935: 'Charles G. Finney, The Circus of Dr. Lao''''' (novel) 1936: see nonfiction 1937: see nonfiction :* see 1937 Fiction 1938: see nonfiction 1939: 'Dalton Trumbo, Johnny Got His Gun''''' (novel) :* Geoffrey Household, Rogue Male ==Repeat winners==

:See Winners of multiple U.S. National Book Awards ==Notes==