Fourteen works of fiction in the running for the 8th annual $35,000 award

Aspen, CO, November 13, 2024 - Aspen Words, a program of the Aspen Institute, today announced the longlist for the Aspen Words Literary Prize(AWLP), a $35,000 annual award for a work of fiction that illuminates a vital contemporary issue.

"Madwoman" by Chelsea Bieker(Little, Brown)

"Sky Full of Elephants" by Cebo Campbell (Simon & Schuster)

"James" by Percival Everett (Doubleday)

"Anita de Monte Laughs Last" by Xochitl Gonzalez(Flatiron Books)

"A Great Country" by Shilpi Somaya Gowda(Mariner Books)

"Kingdom of No Tomorrow" by Fabienne Josaphat(Algonquin)

"The Road to the Salt Sea" by Samuel Kolawole(Amistad/HarperCollins)

"Before the Mango Ripens" by Afabwaje Kurian(Dzanc Books)

"Wandering Stars" by Tommy Orange (Knopf)

"Lilith" by Eric Rickstad(Blackstone Publishing) 

"There Is a Rio Grande in Heaven" by Ruben Reyes Jr.(Mariner Books)

"Fire Exit" by Morgan Talty (Tin House)

"Devil Is Fine" by John Vercher (Celadon Books)

"The Safekeep" by Yael van der Wouden(Avid Reader Press)

More information: www.aspenwords.org/longlist

The 14 longlisted titles include five fiction debuts and one story collection debut.The jury for the prize-Dr. John Deasy,Louise Erdrich (the 2021 AWLP winner),Ben Fountain,Vanessa Hua, andTayari Jones (the 2019 AWLP winner)-will read all longlisted books to determine the five finalists and winner.

"The Aspen Words Literary Prize honors fiction that delves fearlessly into the most pressing social challenges of our time, examining both the personal and collective impacts of issues like racial injustice, generational trauma, immigration, and gender equity," said Aspen Words Executive Director Adrienne Brodeur."This year's longlist showcases an extraordinary range of voices-both emerging and established-whose stories confront the complex realities of our world with empathy, insight, and urgency."

About the Aspen Words Literary Prize
The $35,000 Aspen Words Literary Prize is awarded annually to an influential work of fiction that illuminates a vital contemporary issue and demonstrates the transformative power of literature on thought and culture. Open to authors of any nationality, the award is one of the largest literary prizes in the United States, and one of the few focused exclusively on fiction with a social impact. The inaugural award was presented to Mohsin Hamid in 2018 for "Exit West," his novel about migration and refugees. Tayari Joneswon the 2019 prize for "An American Marriage," her novel about racism and unjust incarceration; Christy Lefterireceived the 2020 prize for her novel "The Beekeeper of Aleppo,"about Syrian refugees; Louise Erdrichwon the 2021 award for "The Night Watchman,"about Native American dispossession; Dawnie Waltonwon the 2022 award for "The Final Revival of Opal and Nev," which explores identity, place and the influence of pop culture; Jamil Jan Kochiwon the 2023 award for "The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories," a powerful short story collection about Afghans, Afghan Americans and the surreal, violent aftershocks of state violence; and Isabella Hammad won the 2024 award for "Enter Ghost," a dazzling story of self-discovery set against the backdrop of displacement. Eligible works include novels or short story collections that address vital, contemporary social issues.

The five finalists 2025 will be announced on March 12, 2025,and the winner will be revealed at an awards celebration at the Morgan Library in New York City on April 23, 2025.

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Download author photos here

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Aspen Words Literary Prize logo here

Questions or requests for author interviews can be directed to:
Mallory Kaufman, Senior Program Associate
Aspen Words | The Aspen Institute
[email protected]
Phone: 970-925-3122 ext. 2

Aspen Wordswas founded in 1976 as a literary center based in Aspen, CO. A program of the Aspen Institute, its mission is to encourage writers, inspire readers and connect people through the power of stories. For more information, visit www.aspenwords.org.

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society's greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

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