2011 National Book Award Finalists

The 20 finalists for the 2011 National Book Awards were announced last week to a fair amount of drama. Established in 1950, the National Book Award is an American literary prize given to writers by writers and administered by the National Book Foundation. Each year, five books are nominated as Finalists in each of the four Award categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People’s Literature. While the winners won't be announced until November 16th, here's your chance to get a head start on reading them!

Here are some of the nominees. For the complete list, visit the National Book Foundation's web site.

The Sojourn By Krivak, Andrew 2011-04 - Bellevue Literary Press 9781934137345 Check the Library A stunning debut novel of brutality and survival on the Southern Front of WW1. …More

The Buddha in the Attic By Otsuka, Julie 2011-08 - Knopf Publishing Group 9780307700001 Check the Library Otsuka delivers the long-awaited follow-up to "When the Emperor Was Divine"--a stunning tour de force that tells the story of a group of women brought from Japan to San Francisco in the 1900s as mail-order brides. …More

The Swerve: How the World Became Modern By Greenblatt, Stephen 2011-09 - W. W. Norton & Company 9780393064476 Check the Library A riveting tale of the great cultural "swerve" known as the Renaissance. …More

Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout By Redniss, Lauren 2010-12 - It Books 9780061351327 Check the Library Presents the professional and private lives of Marie and Pierre Curie, examining their personal struggles, the advancements they made in the world of science, and the issue of radiation in the modern world. …More

Chime By Billingsley, Franny 2011-03 - Dial Books 9780803735521 Check the Library BookPage Notable Title 2011 Boston Globe Horn Book Fiction Honor In the early twentieth century in Swampsea, seventeen-year-old Briony, who can see the spirits that haunt the marshes around their town, feels responsible for her twin sister's horrible injury until a young man enters their lives and exposes secrets that even Briony does not know about. …More

Inside Out & Back Again By Lai, Thanhha 2011-02 - Harper 9780061962783 Check the Library BookPage Notable Title Inspired by the author's own childhood experience of fleeing Vietnam as a refugee and immigrating to Alabama, this tween novel told in verse is sure to capture young readers' hearts and open their eyes. …More

And while the book is no longer a finalist, you can learn more about Lauren Myracle's Shine here:

Shine By Myracle, Lauren 2011-05 - Amulet Books 9780810984172 Check the Library BookPage Notable Title When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, 16-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small Southern town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone in the name of justice. …More