Lebanese-American author Rabih Alameddine has claimed the prestigious National Book Award for fiction in 2025, delivering an acceptance speech that confronted international crises while maintaining his signature irreverent style.
A Darkly Comic Family Saga Triumphs
Alameddine secured the honour for his novel The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother), a darkly comic epic that spans six decades in the life of a Lebanese family. The book follows its protagonist, a 63-year-old gay philosophy teacher, as he navigates his relationship with his mother and his homeland against the backdrop of Lebanon's turbulent history, including its civil war and recent economic collapse.
True to his unconventional approach, Alameddine began his acceptance speech with unexpected acknowledgements. He thanked his psychiatrist, his gastrointestinal doctors, and his drug dealers, followed by the wry comment: "I shouldn't say more about that."
Confronting Global Crises on Stage
The ceremony took a more serious turn as Alameddine addressed contemporary humanitarian issues. He described watching two disturbing videos earlier that day that profoundly affected him.
"One was of an ICE agent," he recounted. "The woman was on the asphalt, zip-tied. He came over and zapped her, and then carried her like garbage and threw her in the back of the SUV."
The second video showed "a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon that was bombed and 12 people died." Reflecting on both incidents, Alameddine declared: "They make a desolation and call it a ceasefire. Sometimes, as writers, we have to say: enough."
A Ceremony of Political Statements
Alameddine's powerful speech set the tone for an evening where multiple winners used their platform to address global conflicts and social justice issues. The ceremony, held at Cipriani Wall Street and featuring a performance by Corinne Bailey Rae, became a forum for political commentary.
Omar El Akkad, who won the non-fiction prize for One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, echoed similar concerns. His book examines Western responses to Israel's war on Gaza.
"It's very difficult to think in celebratory terms about a book that was written in response to a genocide," El Akkad stated. "When I know my tax money is doing this, and that many of my elected representatives happily support it."
The translated literature award went to Gabriela Cabezón Cámara for We Are Green and Trembling, translated from Spanish by Robin Myers. Cámara made her own political statement by announcing: "I'm gonna speak in Spanish because there are fascists who don't like that," which drew enthusiastic applause from the audience.
Recognising Literary Excellence
The awards celebrated both established and emerging literary voices across five categories, with each winner receiving a $10,000 prize. Three authors received their first National Book Award recognition this year.
Daniel Nayeri won in the young people's literature category for The Teacher of Nomad Land, which tells the story of two orphaned Iranian siblings during the second world war.
The poetry prize was awarded to Patricia Smith for The Intentions of Thunder, a collection exploring the beauty and brutality of Black experiences in the United States. Smith had previously been a poetry finalist in 2008 for Blood Dazzler.
The evening also included lifetime achievement awards presented to Roxane Gay and George Saunders. Saunders delivered an inspiring speech about the power of writing, noting that artists have an advantage over autocrats because they embrace uncertainty rather than claiming absolute knowledge.
"Bullies, autocrats, zealots ... they always know. They're completely sure," Saunders observed. "But we artists ... have an advantage over autocrats because [we're] in that not-knowing state. This puts us in a less delusional relationship with reality. And the less delusion, the less suffering we cause."
The 2025 National Book Award ceremony demonstrated how literary celebrations continue to serve as platforms for addressing pressing global issues, with winners using their moment in the spotlight to advocate for social justice and humanitarian concerns.
