NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Historical novels by Jayne Anne Phillips and Paul Harding and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah鈥檚 dystopian prison novel 鈥淐hain-Gang All-Stars鈥� are among the nominees on the National Book Awards long list for fiction.
Phillips, a former National Book Award finalist, was cited for 鈥淣ight Watch,鈥� and Harding, a Pulitzer Prize winner, was nominated for 鈥淭he Other Eden.鈥�
The 10 fiction titles announced Friday by the National Book Foundation also include Mona Susan Power's multigenerational 鈥淎 Council of Dolls,鈥� Eliot Duncan鈥檚 coming-of-age novel 鈥淧onyboy,鈥� and two other historical works: Hanna Pylv盲inen鈥檚 鈥淭he End of Drum-Time鈥� and Tania James鈥檚 鈥淟oot.鈥�
The other nominees are Justin Torres' 鈥淏lackout,鈥� his first novel since his acclaimed debut 鈥淲e the Animals鈥� was published more than a decade ago, and a pair of story collections: Aaliyah Bilal's 鈥淭emple Folk鈥� and LaToya Watkins' 鈥淗oller, Child.鈥�
Some of the year's most highly praised and anticipated fiction releases were left off the list, including former National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward's upcoming 鈥淟et Us Descend,鈥� former National Book Award winner James McBride's 鈥淭he Heaven and Earth Grocery Store,鈥� former National Book Award finalist Lauren Groff's 鈥淭he Vaster Wilds鈥� and former National Book Award finalist Jamel Brinkley's 鈥淲itness.鈥�
Earlier this week, the National Book Foundation announced long lists for The judges, who include authors, critics and booksellers, will narrow the lists to five next month, and winners will be announced Nov. 15 during a dinner ceremony in downtown Manhattan. The foundation also will present honorary awards to and bookseller Paul Yamazaki of the famed City Lights store in San Francisco.
Drew Barrymore had been scheduled to host the ceremony but was by the foundation after she resumed her talk show in the midst of the Hollywood actors and writers strike. The foundation has not yet named a replacement.
Hillel Italie, The Associated Press
