Fifteen titles have been narrowed down for the "Big Book" recognition
The Big Book National Literary Prize Shortlist for 2025
The 20th season of the National Literary Prize "Big Book" has been announced, with 15 works making it to the shortlist. The prize, known for its prestige and impact on the Russian literary scene, will be presented to two winners this year - one in the "Fiction" category and one in the "Non-Fiction" category.
At an event in the GUM demonstration hall, Dmitry Danilov, chairman of the prize's expert council, shared his thoughts on the shortlist, stating that it has become more fair and intriguing. Each winner will receive a prize of 3 million rubles.
In the "Fiction" category, eight books have been selected. Among them is Andrei Rubanov's work "The Ice Notebook," Andrei Dmitriev's "The Troitsky Wind," Ludmila Weber's "The Girl and the Prison," and Eduard Verkin's "The Magpie on the Gallows."
In the "Non-Fiction" category, seven works made it to the shortlist. These include Vyacheslav Kuritsyn's "The Main Russian Book. About 'War and Peace' by L.N. Tolstoy," Ilya Kochergin's "The Backup Exit," and Anna Shipilova's "Moscow Soon."
Zoya Boguslavskaya's work "Careless Life" is also among the shortlisted works, though its category has not been specified.
The shortlist was published on the official website of the prize organizers, and the prize winners will be announced in early December at a ceremonial awards ceremony in Moscow.
While details on the "Big Book National Literary Prize" for 2025 are available, other major literary prizes have also announced their shortlists. The Inside Literary Prize, focused on incarcerated readers' choice, has shortlisted four works, including Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah's "Chain-Gang All-Stars." The Booker Prize, one of the most prestigious literary awards for English-language fiction, has not yet announced its shortlist but includes notable novels on its longlist. The Center for Fiction 2025 First Novel Prize and the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction have also announced their shortlists, highlighting emerging authors and women and non-binary writers, respectively.
The shortlisted work "Careless Life" by Zoya Boguslavskaya, though its category remains unspecified in the "Big Book National Literary Prize" for 2025, showcases its potential to make a significant impact in the Russian literary scene. Urban dwellers seeking an engaging read may be drawn to "Chain-Gang All-Stars," a book shortlisted by the Inside Literary Prize, which caters to the preferences of incarcerated readers. This intriguing novel by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah presents a unique perspective often underrepresented in mainstream literature.
