Aspen Words Literary Prize

Aspen Words Literary Prize
Sponsored byAspen Words
Country United States
StatusActive
First award2018

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 US$35,000 prize.[2]

The award is open to authors of any nationality whose novels or short story collections are published by a U.S. trade publisher. The judging process specifically focuses on works that address vital social issues, such as violence, racial injustice, immigration, gender, and the environment.[3] The prize money has consistently been US$35,000, making it one of the largest literary prizes in the United States focused exclusively on fiction with a social impact. Past winners include the inaugural recipient Mohsin Hamid (2018) for his novel Exit West, Tayari Jones (2019) for An American Marriage, and Tommy Orange (2025) for Wandering Stars.[4]

Recipients

Aspen Words Literary Prize winners and finalists
Year Author Title Result Ref.
2018 Mohsin Hamid Exit West Winner [1][5]
Lesley Nneka Arimah What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky Shortlist [6]
Zinzi Clemmons What We Lose
Samrat Upadhyay Mad Country
Jesmyn Ward Sing, Unburied, Sing
Alain Mabanckou Black Moses Longlist [7]
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][8]
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah Friday Black Shortlist [9]
David Chariandy Brother
Jennifer Clement Gun Love
Tommy Orange There There
Elaine Castillo America Is Not the Heart Longlist [10]
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 [11]
Jamel Brinkley Lucky Man [10]
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][12]
Nicole Dennis-Benn Patsy Shortlist [13]
Brian Allen Carr Opioid, Indiana
Valeria Luiselli Lost Children Archive
Bryan Washington Lot
Steph Cha Your House Will Pay Longlist [14][15]
Angie Cruz Dominicana [14]
Kali Fajardo-Anstine Sabrina & Corina [14][15]
Laila Lalami The Other Americans
Beth Piatote The Beadworkers
Melissa Rivero The Affairs of the Falcóns [14]
Maurice Carlos Ruffin We Cast a Shadow
Rion Amilcar Scott The World Doesn't Require You [14][15]
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 [16][17]
Susan Abulhawa Against the Loveless World Shortlist [18][19]
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 [20][21]
Diane Cook The New Wilderness [20]
Juliana Delgado Lopera Fiebre Tropical [20][21]
Akwaeke Emezi The Death of Vivek Oji [20]
Yaa Gyasi Transcendent Kingdom [20][21]
Lydia Millet A Children's Bible: A Novel
Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi A Girl Is a Body of Water [20]
Tola Rotimi Abraham Black Sunday [20][21]
Brandon Taylor Real Life [20]
Bryan Washington Memorial [20][21]
2022 Dawnie Walton The Final Revival of Opal & Nev Winner [22]
Hala Alyan The Arsonists' City Shortlist [1][23]
Myriam J. A. Chancy What Storm, What Thunder
Omar El Akkad What Strange Paradise
Kirstin Valdez Quade The Five Wounds
Nawaaz Ahmed Radiant Fugitives Longlist [24][25]
Tahmima Alam The Startup Wife
Peter Ho Davies A Lie Someone Told You About Yourself
Linda Rui Feng Swimming Back to Trout River
Kaitlyn Greenidge Libertie
Jakob Guanzon Abundance
Honorée Fanonne Jeffers The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois
Jason Mott Hell of a Book
Eric Nguyen Things We Lost to the Water
Richard Powers Bewilderment
Karen Tucker Bewilderness
2023 Jamil Jan Kochai The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories Winner [26]
Angie Cruz How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water Finalist [27]
Oscar Hokeah Calling for a Blanket Dance
Sarah Thankam Mathews All This Could Be Different
Manuel Muñoz The Consequences
Fatimah Asghar When We Were Sisters Longlist [28][29]
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 Varela The People Who Report More Stress
2024 Isabella Hammad Enter Ghost Winner [30]
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah Chain-Gang All-Stars Finalist [31]
Aaliyah Bilal Temple Folk
Jamel Brinkley Witness
James McBride The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
Stephen Buoro The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa Longlist [32][33]
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
2025 Tommy OrangeWandering Stars Winner [34]
Percival EverettJames Finalist [35]
Afabwaje KurianBefore the Mango Ripens
Ruben Ryes Jr.There Is a Rio Grande in Heaven
Yael van der WoudenThe Safekeep
Chelsea BiekerMadwomanLonglist[36]
Cebo CampbellSky Full of Elephants
Xochitl GonzalezAnita de Monte Laughs Last
Shilpi Somaya GowdaA Great Country
Fabienne JosaphatKingdom of No Tomorrow
Samuel Kọ́láwọ́lẹ́The Road to the Salt Sea
Eric RickstadLilith
Morgan TaltyFire Exit
John VercherDevil Is Fine
2026 Maria Reva Endling Winner [37]
Rabih Alameddine The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) Finalist [38]
Sonora Jha Intemperance
Charlotte McConaghy Wild Dark Shore
Jess Walter So Far Gone
S. A. Cosby King of Ashes Longlist [39]
Angela Flournoy The Wilderness
Bruce Holsinger Culpability
Wally Lamb The River Is Waiting
Michelle Lerner Ring: A Novel
Claire Lynch A Family Matter
Mia McKenzie These Heathens: A Novel
Dolen Perkins-Valdez Happy Land
Princess Joy L. Perry This Here Is Love
Kionna Walker LeMalle Behind the Waterline

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. ↑ "Literary Prize". Aspen Words. Archived from the original on 2025-11-16. Retrieved 2025-11-08.
  4. ↑ ""Wandering Stars" by Tommy Orange Wins the 2025 Aspen Words Literary Prize". Aspen Institute. Archived from the original on 2025-11-09. Retrieved 2025-11-08.
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ 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.
  7. ↑ "2018 PRIZE". Aspen Words. Archived from the original on 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  8. ↑ 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.
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. 1 2 "2019 PRIZE". Aspen Words. Archived from the original on 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  11. ↑ Doll, Jen (2021-10-01). "Neel Patel's Homeward Bound Debut". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  12. ↑ 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.
  13. ↑ 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.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "2020 PRIZE". Aspen Words. Archived from the original on 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  15. 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.
  16. ↑ 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.
  17. ↑ 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.
  18. ↑ Allende, Isabel (2021-02-18). "Awards: Aspen Words Finalists". Shelf Awareness. Archived from the original on 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  19. ↑ 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.
  20. 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.
  21. 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.
  22. ↑ 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.
  23. ↑ 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.
  24. ↑ Corea, Nicole (2021-11-10). "Announcing the Longlist for the 2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize". The Aspen Institute. Retrieved 2025-04-18.
  25. ↑ 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.
  26. ↑ 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.
  27. ↑ 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.
  28. ↑ "Aspen Institute Announces the 2023 Aspen Words Literary Prize Longlist". The Aspen Institute. Archived from the original on 2025-03-27. Retrieved 2025-04-18.
  29. ↑ 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.
  30. ↑ 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.
  31. ↑ 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.
  32. ↑ Katz, Pam (2023-11-09). "Announcing the Longlist for the 2024 Aspen Words Literary Prize". The Aspen Institute. Retrieved 2025-04-18.
  33. ↑ 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.
  34. ↑ "Awards: Aspen Words Winner; RBC Bronwen Wallace Finalists". Shelf Awareness. 2025-04-29. Archived from the original on 2026-01-18. Retrieved 2026-03-23.
  35. ↑ Schaub, Michael (2025-03-13). "Aspen Words Literary Prize 2025 Finalists Revealed". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
  36. ↑ "Literary Prize". Aspen Words. Archived from the original on 2025-01-16. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  37. ↑ Schaub, Michael (2026-04-24). "Winner of the 2026 Aspen Words Prize Revealed". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  38. ↑ "Awards: Republic of Consciousness, U.S. & Canada Winner; Aspen Words Literary Finalists". Shelf Awareness . 2026-03-12. Archived from the original on 2026-03-13. Retrieved 2026-03-23.
  39. ↑ Schaub, Michael (2025-11-19). "Longlist for Aspen Words Literary Prize Revealed". Kirkus Reviews. Archived from the original on 2026-05-19. Retrieved 2026-03-23.
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