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American Library Association · award year

Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence 2019

The 2019 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence went to The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai (Fiction) and Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon (Nonfiction). 6 books were finalists and 47 books made the longlist across 2 categories.

Winners

Fiction

  1. The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkaisource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymonsource (opens in a new tab)

Finalists

Fiction

  1. There There by Tommy Orangesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Washington Black by Esi Edugyansource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America by Beth Macysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border by Francisco Cantúsource (opens in a new tab)

Longlist

Fiction

  1. An American Marriage by Tayari Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Census by Jesse Ballsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Circe by Madeline Millersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Clock Dance by Anne Tylersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezisource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyahsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. John Woman by Walter Mosleysource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Lake Success by Gary Shteyngartsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Ordinary People by Diana Evanssource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Small Country by Gaël Fayesource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Southernmost by Silas Housesource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Incendiaries by R.O. Kwonsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Mars Room by Rachel Kushnersource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Mercy Seat by Elizabeth Winthropsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. The Overstory by Richard Powerssource (opens in a new tab)
  16. The Parking Lot Attendant by Nafkote Tamiratsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Tin Man by Sarah Winmansource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolversource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Virgil Wander by Leif Engersource (opens in a new tab)
  20. Waiting for Eden by Elliot Ackermansource (opens in a new tab)
  21. Warlight by Michael Ondaatjesource (opens in a new tab)
  22. You Think It, I'll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeldsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. Boom Town: The Fantastical Saga of Oklahoma City, Its Chaotic Founding, Its Apocalyptic Weather, Its Purloined Basketball Team, and the Dream of Becoming a World-Class Metropolis by Sam Andersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Burning Down the Haus: Punk Rock, Revolution, and the Fall of the Berlin Wall by Tim Mohrsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Educated by Tara Westoversource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Fascism: A Warning by Madeleine Albrightsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. High-Risers: Cabrini-Green and the Fate of American Public Housing by Ben Austensource (opens in a new tab)
  6. How to Write an Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Cheesource (opens in a new tab)
  7. I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamarasource (opens in a new tab)
  8. In Extremis: The Life and Death of the War Correspondent Marie Colvin by Lindsey Hilsumsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry by Imani Perrysource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life by Eric Klinenbergsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Jane Sherron De Hartsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Cost of Living by Deborah Levysource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Wallace Johnsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After by Clemantine Wamariya and Elizabeth Weilsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. The Library Book by Susan Orleansource (opens in a new tab)
  16. The Poisoned City: Flint's Water and the American Urban Tragedy by Anna Clarksource (opens in a new tab)
  17. The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton and Lara Love Hardinsource (opens in a new tab)
  18. There Will Be No Miracles Here by Casey Geraldsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Tigerland, 1968-1969: A City Divided, a Nation Torn Apart, and a Magical Season of Healing by Wil Haygoodsource (opens in a new tab)

About the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence

Winners, finalists (the shortlist) and longlists from ALA's per-year Carnegie Medals pages. The medals began in 2012. Winners also appear on their year's shortlist; each book is stored once per year at its highest level. No nonfiction medal was awarded in 2018 after Sherman Alexie declined it, so that year has three nonfiction finalists and no winner.

Organization: American Library Association. Years are award years, which can differ from publication years. Official site (opens in a new tab)

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