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The finalists for the National Book Awards were named today in Portland, Oregon. The list includes 20 authors in four categories: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and young people’s literature. In the fiction category, books about war and ones with an international bent reigned supreme. Not surprisingly, 26-year-old wunderkind Téa Obreht received a nod for her highly praised debut The Tiger’s Wife. EW was the first to reach her for comment soon after the announcement: “I am so thrilled and thankful for this honor. I was driving when I heard the news, and it was very difficult to stay in a straight line. I can’t wait for November and the chance to meet the other finalists.”

A bit more surprisingly, the most hyped literary novel of the year, Chad Harbach’s The Art of Fielding, was not listed, and neither was Pulitzer winner Jeffrey Eugenides’ first novel in nearly a decade, The Marriage Plot. Instead, rounding out the fiction category are great but somewhat lesser known books by Andrew Krivak, Julie Otsuka, Edith Pearlman, and Jesmyn Ward.

Unlike fiction, the poetry category is populated mostly by established names like Adrienne Rich. Manning Marable, who died just before the release of Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention, received a nonfiction nomination. For young adult titles, Lauren Myracle was recognized for the rather controversial Shine.

The winners of the National Book Awards will be announced in Manhattan on Nov. 16 in a ceremony hosted by actor John Lithgow, who is also an author.

See the full list of the nominated authors and their works below: READ FULL STORY »