Los Angeles Times Announces Winners of 43rd Annual Book Prizes
Hosted by Times Books Editor Boris Kachka, the evening recognized outstanding literary works in 12 categories
The 43rd annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes were awarded tonight in a ceremony at the University of Southern California’s Bovard Auditorium. The Times’ Book Prizes recognize literary excellence and celebrate the highest quality of writing from authors at all stages of their careers.
The ceremony recognized 12 outstanding literary works published last year. In addition, James Ellroy was honored with the Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement, and the American Library Association’s Freedom to Read Foundation received the Innovator’s Award for its work protecting and defending the First Amendment right to read. A complete list of this year’s Book Prizes winners follows.
2022 Book Prizes Winners
- Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction: Aamina Ahmad, “The Return of Faraz Ali: A Novel,” Riverhead
- Biography: Beverly Gage, “G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century,” Viking
- Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose: Javier Zamora, “Solito,” Hogarth
- Current Interest: Dahlia Lithwick, “Lady Justice: Women, the Law, and the Battle to Save America,” Penguin Press
- Fiction: Mircea Cărtărescu, “Solenoid,” Deep Vellum
- Graphic Novel/Comics: Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith, “Wash Day Diaries,” Chronicle Books
- History: Margaret A. Burnham, “By Hands Now Known: Jim Crow’s Legal Executioners,” W.W. Norton & Company
- Mystery/Thriller: Alex Segura, “Secret Identity,” Flatiron Books
- Poetry: Dionne Brand, “Nomenclature: New and Collected Poems,” Duke University Press Books
- Ray Bradbury Prize for Science Fiction, Fantasy & Speculative Fiction: Nicola Griffith, “Spear,” Tordotcom
- Science & Technology: Sabrina Imbler, “How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures,” Little, Brown and Company
- Young Adult Literature: Lyn Miller-Lachmann, “Torch,” Lerner Publishing Group
For more information about the Book Prizes, including the complete list of 2022 finalists and previous winners; eligibility and judging information; and how to make a tax-deductible donation in support of the annual literary awards, go to latimes.com/BookPrizes.
Next year, the Book Prizes will introduce a new category: audiobooks. The prize will focus on performance, production and innovation in storytelling, and recognize a person or ensemble cast. Sponsored by Audible, the first prize will be given at the 2024 awards ceremony, honoring distinction in audiobooks for the 2023 publishing year.
The Book Prizes ceremony is a prologue to this weekend’s Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, the nation’s largest literary festival, which will bring together more than 500 writers, experts and storytellers, hundreds of exhibitors and an estimated 150,000 attendees. The 28th annual Festival of Books is presented in association with USC. News and updates are available on the event website, Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram feeds (#bookfest).
