National Book Foundation Announces 2017 5 Under 35 Honorees, All Women

Every year, the National Book Foundation honors five up-and-coming fiction writers under the age of 35 in the appropriately titled program “5 Under 35.” These five are selected by National Book Awards winners, finalists and other esteemed writers, for their first and so far only published works of fiction. The NBF has just announced their 2017 honorees, and all five of them are women.

The Foundation made the announcement on their website, listing the following authors:

Lesley Nneka Arimah, author of What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky: Stories (Riverhead Books / Penguin Random House)
Selector: Chris Bachelder, 2016 National Book Award Finalist for Fiction

Halle Butler, author of Jillian (Curbside Splendor)
Selector: Lydia Millet, 2016 National Book Award Longlist for Fiction

Zinzi Clemmons, author of What We Lose (Viking / Penguin Random House)
Selector: Angela Flournoy, 2015 National Book Award Finalist for Fiction and 5 Under 35 honoree

Leopoldine Core, author of When Watched: Stories (Penguin Books / Penguin Random House) Selector: Karan Mahajan, 2016 National Book Award Finalist for Fiction

Weike Wang, author of Chemistry (Knopf / Penguin Random House)
Selector: Sherman Alexie, 2007 National Book Award Winner for Young People’s Literature

The impressive feat of an all-women lineup (three of this year’s honorees are women of color) also occurred with the 2013 selections of the same honor. So be sure to add these novels and short story collections to your reading list, as these authors continue to grow and thrive creatively. With the boost of this honor from the National Book Foundation, you’ll be sure to see some new works from them in the future.

Meanwhile, the Foundation’s 2017 National Book Awards are ongoing, with a round of finalists being announced on Oct. 4, and the winners announced on Nov. 15. The list of nominees can be found here.