Colson Whitehead Emerges Winner of the 2019 Kirkus Prize

American novelist, Colson Whitehead, wins the 2019 Kirkus Prize (fiction category), for his book, “The Nickel Boys.”

With a prize money of $50000, given out annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young reader’s literature, the Kirkus Prize is one of the richest and most prestigious literary awards in the world. Founded in 1933, the year of the great depression in America, by Virginia Kirkus, the Kirkus Review is a hub for cogent literary reviews.

The prize awarded in the categories of fiction, nonfiction and young reader’s literature, saw Colson Whitehead emerge winner in the fiction category, for his book, “The Nickel Boys.” While Saeed Jones emerged winner in the nonfiction category and Jerry Craft in the young reader’s literature, for their books, “How We Fight For Our Lives” and “New Kid,” respectively.

Previous winners of this famed award includes; Lily King (fiction – 2014), Roz Chast (nonfiction – 2014), Kate Samworth (young reader’s literature – 2014), Hanya Yanagihara (fiction – 2015), Ta-Nehisi Coates (nonfiction – 2015), Pam Muñoz Ryan (young reader’s literature), Lesley Nneka Arimah (fiction -2017), Jack E. Davis (nonfiction – 2017), Cherie Dimaline (young reader’s literature – 2017), Ling Ma (fiction – 2018), Rebecca Solnit (nonfiction – 2018), Derrick Barnes (young reader’s literature – 2018) amongst others.