PEN/Faulkner Award for fiction
Best Book Awards
2018
The Dark Dark by Samantha Hunt
Improvement by Joan Silber (winner)
In the Distance by Hernan Diaz
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
The Tower of the Antilles by Achy Obejas
The Dark Dark by Samantha Hunt
Improvement by Joan Silber (winner)
In the Distance by Hernan Diaz
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
The Tower of the Antilles by Achy Obejas
2017
After Disasters by Viet Dinh
Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue (winner)
LaRose by Louise Erdrich
What Belongs to You by Garth Greenwell
Your Heart Is a Muscle the Size of a Fist by Sunil Yapa
After Disasters by Viet Dinh
Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue (winner)
LaRose by Louise Erdrich
What Belongs to You by Garth Greenwell
Your Heart Is a Muscle the Size of a Fist by Sunil Yapa
2016
Delicious Foods by James Hannaham (winner)
Mendocino Fire by Elizabeth Tallent
Mr. and Mrs. Doctor by Julie Iromuanya
The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
The Water Museum by Luis Alberto Urrea
Delicious Foods by James Hannaham (winner)
Mendocino Fire by Elizabeth Tallent
Mr. and Mrs. Doctor by Julie Iromuanya
The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
The Water Museum by Luis Alberto Urrea
2015
Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement
Preparation for the Next Life by Atticus Lish (winner)
Song of the Shank by Jeffery Renard Allen
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement
Preparation for the Next Life by Atticus Lish (winner)
Song of the Shank by Jeffery Renard Allen
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
2014
At Night We Walk in Circles by Daniel Alarcón
Fools by Joan Silber
Percival Everett by Virgil Russell by Percival Everett
Search Party by Valerie Trueblood
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler (winner)
At Night We Walk in Circles by Daniel Alarcón
Fools by Joan Silber
Percival Everett by Virgil Russell by Percival Everett
Search Party by Valerie Trueblood
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler (winner)
2013
Everything Begins and Ends at the Kentucky Club by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (winner)
Hold It 'Til It Hurts by T Geronimo Johnson
Kind One by Laird Hunt
Threats by Amelia Gray
Watergate by Thomas Mallon
Everything Begins and Ends at the Kentucky Club by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (winner)
Hold It 'Til It Hurts by T Geronimo Johnson
Kind One by Laird Hunt
Threats by Amelia Gray
Watergate by Thomas Mallon
2012
The Angel Esmeralda by Don DeLillo
The Artist of Disappearance by Anita Desai
The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka (winner)
Lost Memory of Skin by Russell Banks
We Others by Steven Millhauser
The Angel Esmeralda by Don DeLillo
The Artist of Disappearance by Anita Desai
The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka (winner)
Lost Memory of Skin by Russell Banks
We Others by Steven Millhauser
2011
Aliens in the Prime of Their Lives by Brad Watson
The Collected Stories Of Deborah Eisenberg by Deborah Eisenberg (winner)
Lord of Misrule by Jaimy Gordon
Model Home by Eric Puchner
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
Aliens in the Prime of Their Lives by Brad Watson
The Collected Stories Of Deborah Eisenberg by Deborah Eisenberg (winner)
Lord of Misrule by Jaimy Gordon
Model Home by Eric Puchner
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
2010
A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead
War Dances by Sherman Alexie (winner)
A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead
War Dances by Sherman Alexie (winner)
2009
Lush Life by Richard Price
Ms. Hempel Chronicles by Sarah Shun-lien Bynum
Netherland by Joseph O'Neill (winner)
A Person of Interest by Susan Choi
Serena by Ron Rash
Lush Life by Richard Price
Ms. Hempel Chronicles by Sarah Shun-lien Bynum
Netherland by Joseph O'Neill (winner)
A Person of Interest by Susan Choi
Serena by Ron Rash
2008
Chemistry and Other Stories by Ron Rash
The Gateway by T M McNally
The Great Man by Kate Christensen (winner)
The Indian Clerk by David Leavitt
The Maytrees by Annie Dillard
Chemistry and Other Stories by Ron Rash
The Gateway by T M McNally
The Great Man by Kate Christensen (winner)
The Indian Clerk by David Leavitt
The Maytrees by Annie Dillard
2007
All Aunt Hagar's Children by Edward P Jones
The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel by Amy Hempel
The Dead Fish Museum by Charles D'Ambrosio
Everyman by Philip Roth (winner)
Twilight of the Superheroes by Deborah Eisenberg
All Aunt Hagar's Children by Edward P Jones
The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel by Amy Hempel
The Dead Fish Museum by Charles D'Ambrosio
Everyman by Philip Roth (winner)
Twilight of the Superheroes by Deborah Eisenberg
2006
The Chrysanthemum Palace by Bruce Wagner
I Got Somebody in Staunton by William Henry Lewis
Last Night by James Salter
The March by E L Doctorow (winner)
A Sudden Country by Karen Fisher
The Chrysanthemum Palace by Bruce Wagner
I Got Somebody in Staunton by William Henry Lewis
Last Night by James Salter
The March by E L Doctorow (winner)
A Sudden Country by Karen Fisher
2005
The Dew Breaker by Edwidge Danticat
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
The Green Lantern by Jerome Charyn
Prisoners of War by Steve Yarbrough
War Trash by Ha Jin (winner)
The Dew Breaker by Edwidge Danticat
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
The Green Lantern by Jerome Charyn
Prisoners of War by Steve Yarbrough
War Trash by Ha Jin (winner)
2004
A Distant Shore by Caryl Phillips
Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by Z Z Packer
The Early Stories: 1953-1975 by John Updike (winner)
Elroy Nights by Frederick Barthelme
Old School by Tobias Wolff
A Distant Shore by Caryl Phillips
Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by Z Z Packer
The Early Stories: 1953-1975 by John Updike (winner)
Elroy Nights by Frederick Barthelme
Old School by Tobias Wolff
2003
The Caprices by Sabina Murray (winner)
The City of Your Final Destination by Peter Cameron
The Ecstatic by Victor LaValle
Little Casino by Gilbert Sorrentino
Roscoe by William Kennedy
The Caprices by Sabina Murray (winner)
The City of Your Final Destination by Peter Cameron
The Ecstatic by Victor LaValle
Little Casino by Gilbert Sorrentino
Roscoe by William Kennedy
2002
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett (winner)
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
The Death of Vishnu by Manil Suri
Sister Noon by Karen Joy Fowler
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett (winner)
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
The Death of Vishnu by Manil Suri
Sister Noon by Karen Joy Fowler
2001
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
Harry Gold by Millicent Dillon
The Human Stain by Philip Roth (winner)
The Name of the World by Denis Johnson
Off Keck Road by Mona Simpson
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
Harry Gold by Millicent Dillon
The Human Stain by Philip Roth (winner)
The Name of the World by Denis Johnson
Off Keck Road by Mona Simpson
2000
Amy and Isabelle by Elizabeth Strout
The Night Inspector by Frederick Busch
PU-239 by Ken Kalfus
Siam by Lily Tuck
Waiting by Ha Jin (winner)
Amy and Isabelle by Elizabeth Strout
The Night Inspector by Frederick Busch
PU-239 by Ken Kalfus
Siam by Lily Tuck
Waiting by Ha Jin (winner)
1999
Cloudsplitter by Russell Banks
The Doctor Stories by Richard Selzer
The Hours by Michael Cunningham (winner)
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Starting Out in the Evening by Brian Morton
Cloudsplitter by Russell Banks
The Doctor Stories by Richard Selzer
The Hours by Michael Cunningham (winner)
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Starting Out in the Evening by Brian Morton
1998
The Bear Comes Home by Rafi Zabor (winner)
The Hundred Brothers by Donald Antrim
The Mercy Seat by Rilla Askew
The Ordinary Seaman by Francisco Goldman
The Bear Comes Home by Rafi Zabor (winner)
The Hundred Brothers by Donald Antrim
The Mercy Seat by Rilla Askew
The Ordinary Seaman by Francisco Goldman
1997
Atticus by Ron Hansen
The Autobiography of My Mother by Jamaica Kincaid
The Book of Mercy by Kathleen Cambor
St Burl's Obituary by Daniel Akst
Women in Their Beds by Gina Berriault (winner)
Atticus by Ron Hansen
The Autobiography of My Mother by Jamaica Kincaid
The Book of Mercy by Kathleen Cambor
St Burl's Obituary by Daniel Akst
Women in Their Beds by Gina Berriault (winner)
1996
All Souls' Rising by Mark Mitchell and Madison Smartt Bell
The Good Negress by A J Verdelle
Independence Day by Richard Ford (winner)
The Tunnel by William H Gass
When the World Was Steady by Claire Messud
All Souls' Rising by Mark Mitchell and Madison Smartt Bell
The Good Negress by A J Verdelle
Independence Day by Richard Ford (winner)
The Tunnel by William H Gass
When the World Was Steady by Claire Messud
1995
The Children in the Woods by Frederick Busch
Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson (winner)
Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi
Various Antidotes by Joanna Scott
What I Lived For by Joyce Carol Oates
The Children in the Woods by Frederick Busch
Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson (winner)
Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi
Various Antidotes by Joanna Scott
What I Lived For by Joyce Carol Oates
1994
Bone by Fae Myenne Ng
The Magic of Blood by Dagoberto Gilb
Operation Shylock by Philip Roth (winner)
Van Gogh's Room at Arles by Stanley Elkin
Bone by Fae Myenne Ng
The Magic of Blood by Dagoberto Gilb
Operation Shylock by Philip Roth (winner)
Van Gogh's Room at Arles by Stanley Elkin
1993
A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain by Robert Olen Butler
The Long Night of White Chickens by Francisco Goldman
Natural History by Maureen Howard
Postcards by Annie Proulx (winner)
Talking to the Dead by Sylvia Watanabe
A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain by Robert Olen Butler
The Long Night of White Chickens by Francisco Goldman
Natural History by Maureen Howard
Postcards by Annie Proulx (winner)
Talking to the Dead by Sylvia Watanabe
1992
The Almanac Branch by Bradford Morrow
Extraordinary People by Paul Gervais
Frog by Stephen Dixon
Mao II by Don DeLillo (winner)
The Almanac Branch by Bradford Morrow
Extraordinary People by Paul Gervais
Frog by Stephen Dixon
Mao II by Don DeLillo (winner)
1990
Affliction by Russell Banks
Billy Bathgate by E L Doctorow (winner)
The Jump-off Creek by Molly Gloss
Leaving Brooklyn by Lynne Sharon Schwartz
On the Island by Josephine Jacobsen
Affliction by Russell Banks
Billy Bathgate by E L Doctorow (winner)
The Jump-off Creek by Molly Gloss
Leaving Brooklyn by Lynne Sharon Schwartz
On the Island by Josephine Jacobsen
1989
The Corner of Rife and Pacific by Thomas Savage
The Death of Methuselah by Isaac Bashevis Singer
Dusk by James Salter (winner)
Tenants of Time by Thomas Flanagan
Vanished by Mary McGarry Morris
The Corner of Rife and Pacific by Thomas Savage
The Death of Methuselah by Isaac Bashevis Singer
Dusk by James Salter (winner)
Tenants of Time by Thomas Flanagan
Vanished by Mary McGarry Morris
1988
Imagining Argentina by Lawrence Thornton
The Messiah of Stockholm by Cynthia Ozick
That Night by Alice McDermott
World's End by T C Boyle (winner)
Imagining Argentina by Lawrence Thornton
The Messiah of Stockholm by Cynthia Ozick
That Night by Alice McDermott
World's End by T C Boyle (winner)
1987
Collaborators by Janet Kauffman
Expensive Habits by Maureen Howard
Soldiers in Hiding by Richard Wiley (winner)
The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Charles Johnson
The Sportswriter by Richard Ford
Collaborators by Janet Kauffman
Expensive Habits by Maureen Howard
Soldiers in Hiding by Richard Wiley (winner)
The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Charles Johnson
The Sportswriter by Richard Ford
1986
Carpenter's Gothic by William Gaddis
Later the Same Day by Grace Paley
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
The Old Forest by Peter Taylor
The Tree of Life by Hugh Nissenson
Carpenter's Gothic by William Gaddis
Later the Same Day by Grace Paley
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
The Old Forest by Peter Taylor
The Tree of Life by Hugh Nissenson
1985
The Barracks Thief by Tobias Wolff
The Dixie Association by Donald Hays
Family Dancing by David Leavitt
On Glory's Course by James Purdy
Stones for Ibarra by Harriet Doerr
The Barracks Thief by Tobias Wolff
The Dixie Association by Donald Hays
Family Dancing by David Leavitt
On Glory's Course by James Purdy
Stones for Ibarra by Harriet Doerr
1984
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford by Ron Hansen
At the Bottom of the River by Jamaica Kincaid
The Cannibal Galaxy by Cynthia Ozick
Ironweed by William Kennedy
The Stories of Bernard Malamud by Bernard Malamud
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford by Ron Hansen
At the Bottom of the River by Jamaica Kincaid
The Cannibal Galaxy by Cynthia Ozick
Ironweed by William Kennedy
The Stories of Bernard Malamud by Bernard Malamud
1983
Birthplace : Moving into Nearness by William S Wilson
Dinner At the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler
Grace Abounding by Maureen Howard
The Portage to San Cristobal of A. H. by George Steiner
Seaview by Toby Olson (winner)
Shiloh and Other Stories by Bobbie Ann Mason
Birthplace : Moving into Nearness by William S Wilson
Dinner At the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler
Grace Abounding by Maureen Howard
The Portage to San Cristobal of A. H. by George Steiner
Seaview by Toby Olson (winner)
Shiloh and Other Stories by Bobbie Ann Mason
1982
The Chaneysville Incident by David Bradley (winner)
Ellis Island by Mark Helprin
A Flag for Sunrise by Robert Stone
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
Sixty Stories by Donald Barthelme
Take Me Back by Richard Bausch
The Chaneysville Incident by David Bradley (winner)
Ellis Island by Mark Helprin
A Flag for Sunrise by Robert Stone
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
Sixty Stories by Donald Barthelme
Take Me Back by Richard Bausch
1981
Aberration of Starlight by Gilbert Sorrentino
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
How German Is It? by Walter Abish (winner)
The Second Coming by Walker Percy
A Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard
Aberration of Starlight by Gilbert Sorrentino
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
How German Is It? by Walter Abish (winner)
The Second Coming by Walker Percy
A Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard