The National Book Awards is a prestigious literary recognition that celebrates outstanding contributions to Philippine literature
The National Book Development Board and the Manila Critics Circle recently announced the finalists of the 41st National Book Awards.
The NBA is an annual prize that honors the most outstanding book titles written, designed, and published in the Philippines.
For this cycle, 235 titles were submitted in 34 categories in seven languages: Filipino, English, Bikol, Binisaya, Hiligaynon, Tausug, and Waray.
Due to the pandemic, there was a hiatus of a couple of years in handing out the awards. The winners of the 40th cycle (for books published in 2021) received their awards in May 2023, while the 41st cycle (for books published in 2022) awarding ceremony will be held in February 2024.
The 41st National Book Awards coincides with the Philippines’ two-year preparation for its Guest of Honor stint in 2025 at the world’s biggest book fair, the Frankfurter Buchmesse.
This is a historic development because the Philippines is only the second Southeast Asian country to be awarded the honor after Indonesia.
Some of the finalists of the 41st National Book Awards:
· Novel in English: The Collaborators: A Novel (Katrina Tuvera), Yñiga: A Novel (Glenn Diaz)
· Novel in Filipino: Andrea: Oyayi sa Daluyong (Rom Factolerin), El Arbol de la Alegria: Southern Quartet (RM Topacio-Aplaon), Ang Bangin sa Ilalim ng Ating mga Paa (Ronald Vivo Jr.), and Ubusán ng Bida (Klaro de Asis)
· Short Fiction in English: Armor: Stories (John Bengan), Laut: Stories (Sigrid Marianne Gayangos), A Playlist for the End of the World (Gabriela Lee), Seek Ye Whore and Other Stories (Yvette Tan), Song of the Mango and Other New Myths (Vida Cruz-Borja).
· Short Fiction in Filipino: ; (Ano) (Zero A.D.), Ang Buang ng Bayan: Mga Maikling Kuwento (Rowena P. Festin), Ang Kompedio ng mga Imposibleng Bagay (Carlo Paulo Pacolor), Pangontra (Allan N. Derain), Tatlong Larawan at iba pang Maikling Kwento (U.Z. Eliserio)
· Non-Fiction Prose in English: Brief Histories: Essays (Don Jaucian); Even Ducks Get Liver Cancer and Other Medical Misadventures (Wilfredo Liangco), The Holy Wife: Stories of Extraordinary Love (Ting Pantoja-Mañalac), Lost Graves, Found Lives: A History and Memoir (Agapito Labalan del Rosario & Rosario Cruz-Lucero), Rodolfo Biazon: Soldier, Solon, Statesman (Eric Ramos).
· Non-Fiction Prose in Filipino: Mga Anting-Anting sa Sabong (Bobby V. Villagracia), Distrungka (Emmanuel T. Barrameda), Kumusta, 2020? Alaala ng Isang Alay (Vim Nadera), Pasasaan (Jesus Aman Calvario), Saglit: Alaala’t Muni (Rofel G. Brion).
· Anthology in English: Deck the Halls Volume One: A Christmas-Themed Crime Fiction Anthology (Manalang et. al.); Growing Up Filipino 3: New Stories for Young Adults (Cecilia Manguerra Brainard, Ed.); Kalandrakas Part 1, 1890-1945: Stories and Storytellers of/on Regions in Mindanao, 1890-1990 and Kalandrakas Part 2, 1946-1990: Stories and Storytellers of/on Regions in Mindanao, 1890-1990 (Ricardo M. De Ungria (Ed.); The Lives of a Filipino Student: Anthology of Personal Essays on High School in the Philippines (Tolentino, Delos Reyes, and Jarin, Eds.).
· Anthology in Filipino: Himaya: Panitikan ng Pagbabanyuhay (Joyce L. Arriola, Ed.), Kung Bakit Walang Demonyo sa Malabog (Abdon M. Balde Jr.), Mga Nagwaging Akda: Gawad Bienvenido Lumbera NCLA National Literary Contest 2022 (Niles Jordan D. Breis and Merdeka de la Cruz Morales, Eds.), Plus/+ at Iba Plus, Maramihan: New Philippine Nonfiction on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identities (Rolando B. Tolentino and Chuckberry J. Pascual, Eds.); Rurok: Comics & Art Anthology (Paolo Herras, Ed.)
· Poetry in English: All My Distances Point to Home (King Llanza), The Broken Places: Poems (Teddy Griarte Espela), Coming Home to the Island: Poems (Arlene J. Yandug), Mass at the Edge of Morning (Simeon Dumdum Jr.), What Comes After: Poems (Eliza Victoria)
· Poetry in Filipino: Ang Kartograpiya ng Pagguho: Mga Tula (Ralph Fonte), Mga Luwa at Iba Pang Tula (Jose A. Badillo), Pasalubong (Maria Rilkë Arguelles), Sa Ika-ilang Sirkulo ng Impyerno (Miguel Paolo Celestial), Sa Pagitan ng mga Emerhensiya (Rosmon Tuazon)
See the full list of finalists at the National Book Development Board (NBDB) Facebook page. The winners will be announced on December 8.
The National Book Awards is a prestigious literary recognition that celebrates outstanding contributions to Philippine literature. Founded by the MCC in 1981, the awards honor remarkable works across various categories, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and graphic literature.
These awards acknowledge the diverse voices that enrich the country’s literary landscape, fostering a deeper appreciation for Filipino authors and their creative endeavors and encouraging the production of more quality literature.
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