The 2024 National Book Awards have chosen Percival Everett and Jason De León as their winners.

• Jim's perspective was the focus of Percival Everett's winning National Book Award for fiction, "James," a retelling of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
• In the nonfiction category, "Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling" by Jason De León was the winner.
• Over 1,900 nominated books were evaluated by panels of writers, critics, and booksellers to determine the winners.

Percival Everett's "James," a daring reinterpretation of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," has been awarded the National Book Award for fiction. Jason De León's "Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling" won for nonfiction, with finalists including Salman Rushdie's memoir about his 2022 stabbing, "Knife."

On Wednesday night, the young people's literature prize was awarded to Shifa Saltagi Safadi's "Kareem Between," while the poetry award went to Lena Khalaf Tuffaha's "Something About Living." In the translation category, Yáng Shuāng-zǐ's "Taiwan Travelogue," translated from Mandarin Chinese by Lin King, was the winner.

Publishers nominated over 1,900 books, and judging panels, comprised of writers, critics, booksellers, and other members of the literary community, chose the winners from among hundreds of submissions. Each of the five category winners received a $10,000 prize.

Everett's recent victory marks his impressive growth in the literary world over the past few years. Despite being unknown to the general public for many years, the 67-year-old author has been a finalist for both the Booker Prize and Pulitzer Prize for works such as "Trees" and "Dr. No." Additionally, his novel "Erasure" was adapted into the critically acclaimed film "American Fiction," which was nominated for an Oscar.

Everett's novel, which reimagines Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" from the perspective of the enslaved Jim, highlights the stark contrast in Jim's behavior and speech when whites are present. The book was a finalist for the Booker Prize and recently won the Kirkus Prize for fiction.

During his acceptance speech, Everett noted that James was warmly welcomed.

The National Book Foundation presented lifetime achievement medals to Barbara Kingsolver, author of "Demon Copperhead," and W. Paul Coates, publisher of Black Classic Press.

The speakers commended diversity, disruption, and autonomy, whether it was Taiwanese independence or the rights of immigrants in the U.S. Two winners, Safadi and Tuffaha, criticized the ongoing Gaza war and U.S. military support for Israel. Neither mentioned Israel by name, but both referred to the conflict as "genocide" and received applause, as well as more subdued reactions, after advocating for Palestinian support.

Tuffaha, a Palestinian American, dedicated her award in part to "all the deeply beautiful Palestinians that this world has lost and all those miraculous ones who endured, waiting for us, waiting for us to wake up."

In 2020, Zibby Owens withdrew support for the awards after learning that finalists planned to condemn the Gaza war. This year, the World Jewish Congress criticized Ta-Nehisi Coates' award, citing his reissue of the essay "The Jewish Onslaught," which has been labeled anti-Semitic.

Ruth Dickey, the Executive Director of the National Book Foundation, stated that Ta-Nehisi Coates was being recognized for his entire body of work, not just a specific book. Dickey also emphasized that the foundation opposes bigotry, including anti-Semitism, but supports free expression.

Over the past five decades, anyone analyzing a publisher's work will encounter individual opinions or works that they find disagreeable or offensive.

The National Book Awards have traditionally taken place in mid-November, following the elections, and serve as an initial indication of the book industry's response. In 2008, after Barack Obama's victory, publisher and honorary winner Barney Rosset was optimistic, anticipating "a new and uplifting agenda." However, in 2016, following Donald Trump's first win, fiction winner Colson Whitehead encouraged the audience to "be kind to everybody, make art, and fight the power."

As hundreds gathered for the 75th anniversary dinner ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street in downtown Manhattan, the atmosphere was characterized by solemnity, determination, and forced joviality.

Kate McKinnon joked that she was hired because the National Book Foundation wanted "something entertaining and amusing to take away from the fact that the world is on fire." Jon Batiste led the audience in singing "When the Saints Go Marching In" and sang a few lines from "Hallelujah," the Leonard Cohen classic which McKinnon somberly performed at the start of the first "Saturday Night Live" after the 2016 election.

Kingsolver acknowledged feeling "smacked down" but added that she has known despair before. She likened truth and love to forces of nature, like gravity and the sun, always there whether you see them or not. The writer's job is to imagine "a better ending than the one we've been given," she said.

During a Tuesday night reading by awards finalists, some discussed the importance of community and support. Everett started his speech by admitting that he needed inspiration after a difficult period. He emphasized the need for connection and said, "We need each other right now." After stating that "hope is not a strategy," Everett paused and added, "This situation feels so absurd, surreal, and ridiculous."

He paused for a moment before realizing that the conversation wasn't about current events, but rather a reading from "James."